


Alliances

by darthmelyanna, miera



Series: stargate_ren [15]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Renaissance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-06-25
Updated: 2007-07-05
Packaged: 2019-09-30 07:38:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 33,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17219717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darthmelyanna/pseuds/darthmelyanna, https://archiveofourown.org/users/miera/pseuds/miera
Summary: Queen Elizabeth's long-anticipated visit to Iolan yields romance, court intrigues, and an answer no one was expecting.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here is the fruit of many long labors. And the authors' each pulling their own hair out.

The morning was crisp and clear over Atlantis, and even though the sun was still low in the eastern sky, Elizabeth stood on the parapet, feeling more alert and awake than she had in weeks. The voyage to Iolan would start the next morning, and it was something of a relief to think of it. While traveling, if not during the actual visit, she would have a little time to rest. Things had been so hectic since the first signs of spring that she could hardly remember what peace and routine were like.

It did not help that John was gone. During the winter he had spent some weeks in Athos, and in that time she had realized how much he helped her relax. She missed that dearly, but there were other reasons to miss him now. In his absence he was never far from her thoughts. More than once she had been working on plans for this trip with her advisors and found herself drifting off to the evening of Laura's wedding feast, memories of a strong embrace and a passionate kiss filling her mind.

Deep down, Elizabeth knew that she could not continue this way. She could not be an effective ruler if she continued to act like a lovesick girl. She had to use this trip to Iolan to get thoughts of Lord John of Sheppard out of her head. She owed her people that much.

Elizabeth heard movement on the other end of the parapet, at the entrance where Captain Lorne waited discreetly. It was Rodney McKay. He started toward her and then stopped abruptly. With a small smile, she nodded to him, silently giving him leave to approach her. "Good morning, Master McKay," she said to him.

He bowed awkwardly. "Good morning, your Majesty," he replied. "I have a request I probably should have made some weeks ago."

"You have been much occupied trying to reach the goals I set for you," Elizabeth said. "What can I do for you?"

"I wonder if it would be too much if I accompanied you to Iolan." The words tumbled out of his mouth so quickly that Elizabeth blinked. Rodney looked embarrassed. "I realize this is very late, but I have given it a great deal of thought."

"I confess, I had had the idea," Elizabeth replied. "But I did not think you would be willing to leave your work here behind for the duration of the voyage."

"I did not either, but I am reasonably confident now that Lady Samantha and Captain Pendergast can oversee the next stages of construction without me," Rodney said. "I do not come to this conclusion with very many people, but they are equal to the task."

Elizabeth smiled at his admission. "I imagine you have family you wish to visit."

"My sister," he said. At her curious look, he continued, though he seemed a little uncomfortable. "Prince Radek asked me over a year ago if I would be willing to come here to rebuild your navy. I could not resist the opportunity, but not long after the plans were set, a disease swept through part of Iolan. My sister's husband and daughter were among those who died."

Elizabeth bowed her head respectfully. "I am sorry to hear that."

Rodney nodded. "The prince offered to find someone else to send here, but there was no real option," he continued. "Besides, Jeannie knew how important this was to me. And it is not as though I deserted her entirely. Prince Radek promised me when he left Atlantis last fall that he would look after her."

Elizabeth looked away, toward the eastern sea. "Radek is a good man," she said softly. "I have no doubt that he will fulfill that promise to the utmost."

They both watched the loading of the _Queen Margaret_ in the distance for a spell. The ship had been Radek's coronation gift to Elizabeth, and it was fitting that she would use the ship to travel to Iolan to return the prince's many visits to her. Then Rodney asked, "Are the rumors true?"

Elizabeth glanced at him. "What rumors?"

He seemed not to notice her look of wariness. "Well, virtually everyone in Iolan is under the impression that the prince wishes to marry you, and most of the rumors I've been unable to avoid here say that you intend to accept him should he ask."

She could feel her cheeks begin to burn as she stared at him. After a moment, he too turned red, his eyes went wide, and his jaw dropped. "Forgive me, your Majesty," he said. "I did not mean–"

"I know, Master McKay," Elizabeth interrupted, but she then decided to give him an answer for his trouble anyway. "I cannot know the prince's intentions because he has not told me. As for myself... I have made no resolution on the matter. To accept or to reject."

Rodney nodded, his mortification seeming to abate somewhat. But Elizabeth was curious. "You said most of the rumors," she said. "What were the others?"

He shifted his weight uncomfortably. "They, ah, they concerned Sir John," he replied, almost timidly. "Or Lord John, as I suppose we ought to call him now."

Strangely, Elizabeth did not blush this time. "I see," she said impassively.

"A blind man could see that he has been a good friend to you," Rodney continued. It sounded awkward, but Elizabeth could tell he was being sincere. "You did the right thing, letting him go."

Elizabeth nodded in silent gratitude. It was a relief for her to hear an honest, unprompted opinion on any subject, but it was doubly so on the topic of John's departure. Rodney, for all his faults, was not given to false flattery. He said what he meant, an ability she found herself envying. When she found her voice again, she said, "I would be happy to have you accompany me to your homeland, Master McKay."

He started to say something, but bowed instead. "Thank you, Majesty."

She gave him a small smile, and Rodney departed. Alone again, Elizabeth closed her eyes and breathed in the sea air, turning her head and heart to thoughts of Iolan.

* * *

The _Queen Margaret_ departed from Atlantis the next morning. Marcus Lorne quickly found himself with three ladies who greatly enjoyed sailing. For instance, marriage had not curbed Laura's love of excitement, and it was all he and Doctor Beckett could do to keep her from climbing the rigging, much as it had been on her first voyage on the ship.

It was, he supposed, preferable to the queen or either of her ladies suffering from sea-sickness for the entire journey.

The _Queen Margaret_ was a beautiful ship, but Marcus remembered his cousin's descriptions of the living quarters aboard the vessels in Atalan's navy. Eventually even the finest of quarters became insufferably small. Thankfully, the royal party was not to be aboard for very long.

That evening, he settled Elizabeth in her quarters alone. Laura was with her husband, of course, and Kate was not nearby. So when he had the night guard in place, Marcus went looking for her. He found her on the quarterdeck, watching the moonlight splashed upon the ship's wake.

When he had walked up the steps to that level, he stayed there for a moment, watching her. Her gown was as dark as the sea below, and her golden curls danced a bit in the light wind. With her hands resting on the railing of the deck, he could see the outline of her slender body easily. Had it not been for the presence of the crew, not to mention some of his own guards down on the main deck, he would have taken her narrow waist in his hands and held her close, taking in the sweet scent of her as he kissed the spot on her neck that always made her shiver in his arms.

But there were people around. Even though dancing together at Laura's wedding had called attention to them and begun rumors of their courtship, Marcus knew that if he tried to show his affection too overtly in company, Kate would be unhappy. With some effort, he reined in his own desires and he approached her at the railing.

Kate looked so tired that he wondered why she had not retired for the evening yet. Marcus hesitated a moment, but then took her hand in his. When she looked at him, he bowed his head and kissed her palm, bringing a soft blush to her cheeks. "Marcus," she said reprovingly.

"If I cared for you less, I could resist you more," he told her quietly. "Besides, we've hardly had a moment alone since Laura and Carson were married."

"I know," Kate replied. "I fear that may be the case until the queen and Laura and I find a balance to this new situation. I don't know what we'll do once Laura is with child, though."

Marcus turned to lean against the railing. "That is an odd thought," he said. "Laura with child. I'm having a hard enough time with the notion that she is married."

Kate smiled a little. "Laura will make a good mother when the time comes," she said. "She can be serious when it suits her."

He chuckled and shook his head. "Just as you can be coy and teasing when it suits you," he replied.

Kate's smile turned mischievous, though her voice was prim. "I know not what you mean, Captain."

He smirked at her in response. It was in moments like these, when she let down her usual solemn demeanor and let him see her playful side, that he knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he loved her with all his heart. He wanted to marry Kate, and not solely out of his desire for her. Though that longing was never far away, in the six months since their quiet courtship had begun, Marcus had found his feelings growing deeper. He'd cared for her for a long time, but now, simply seeing her smile was enough to provoke a warmth in him unlike anything any woman had stirred in him before. He wanted to wake up with her every morning and spend every night holding her in his arms.

His older brother had told him once that love made a man pathetic. Marcus agreed wholeheartedly now, but he'd never been happier.

The question, of so few words but of infinite importance, was on the tip of his tongue. But Kate yawned, breaking the moment, and he smiled ruefully. "Come, my lady," he said. "You need to rest."

"And is it your duty to take care of me?" she asked, taking his arm when he offered it.

"Well, I did rescue you once," he pointed out.

Undoubtedly at the thought of what had followed that rescue, she blushed.

* * *

Flower petals flew and multicolored banners waved in the warm spring breeze as the _Queen Margaret_ eased into her assigned dock. The many spectators – indeed, Elizabeth noted that there must have been hundreds if not thousands – cheered loudly and waved towards the ship. She couldn't help but feel a nervous flutter in her chest. It was not often she was subjected to large crowds. Even the multitude of people who had come to Athos to see her at Solstice could not compare to this gathering. Elizabeth had to fight the impulse to flinch as the sounds assaulted her hearing.

Once they were off the ship, Lord George appeared at her side and offered her his arm. There was an open carriage waiting for them, driven by a man in a handsome forest green uniform with a golden anagram on the shoulders, displaying his allegiance to his country. Lord George escorted Elizabeth over to it, assisting her, Laura, and Kate before joining them himself. Marcus climbed up to sit next to the driver while two other guards took up positions on the back of the carriage. The rest of her guard were scattered along the route or already at the palace, waiting for her arrival.

Daniel and several of Iolan's visiting officials had planned the route before the _Queen Margaret_ had even set out from Atlantis. All of them had taken great pains to make sure that she was seen by as many as possible while still considering her personal safety. However, being here now, she could also see the other side of their plans. Not only did they want her to be seen by the people, but they wanted her to see the treasures and beauty of the city as well. No doubt for more than one reason.

Elizabeth kept up a gracious smile as she waved continuously in different directions. After nearly a half-hour, the carriages came to a halt at the steps of the palace. Marcus and the two guards quickly jumped off the carriage and moved to the side while she looked up the steps, which were lined with what appeared to be the entire nobility of Iolan.

The walk up the steps was set at a slow, measured pace so as they would not arrive at the top completely winded. Elizabeth nodded cordially towards the men and women stationed along both sides of the stairs as they bowed and curtsied, but kept the majority of her attention in front of her. When she reached the top, she had a brief moment to take in the new faces in front of her before anyone spoke.

Three people stood before her. A middle-aged woman in a peach-colored gown was on the left, with a young boy of about seven years in the center dressed in white. A handsome gentleman, distinct for his grey-blue clothes which contrasted to his bright companions, was to the right.

The woman stepped forward, the young boy moving with her as his hand was clasped in her own, and both nodded to Elizabeth. "Hail and welcome, Elizabeth of Atalan," the woman spoke in warm, rich tones.

"We are honored to have you here," the little boy piped in with higher tones that spoke to his nervousness.

Elizabeth smiled at them and nodded in return. "We thank you," she replied. "We are honored to be the guest of our cousin Lukas of Iolan and his family."

Radek stepped forward to stand at the side of his young nephew. "Greetings, my lady," he said with a bow, his delight at her presence clear. "It is a true joy to have you visit our home."

She smiled back. "Thank you, your Highness." Elizabeth turned towards her guardian, who stood silently to her left. "Your Graces," she said, focusing on the young prince and his mother, "permit us to introduce our chief advisor and beloved guardian, Lord George, the Marquis of Hammond."

Lord George bowed respectfully to their hosts, while Queen Mother Natalya nodded and her son smiled widely.

Elizabeth was introduced to a few others of the royal family's inner circle until Radek finally offered her his arm and asked to escort her into the palace. After turning to offer one final benevolent smile to the still-cheering crowds, she allowed herself to be led away. Her heart still beat furiously but she also felt an immense relief that the greeting had gone precisely according to plan. Her retinue of guards, ladies, and Lord George followed close behind.

Hopefully the rest of the visit would proceed as smoothly.

* * *

Rodney disembarked from the _Queen Margaret_ with Carson Beckett, once the throngs of people had dispersed back into the city. As they stood at the top of the gangplank and looked out over Iolan's great capital, the doctor remarked, "Did you not wish to be greeted by the cheering masses?"

Rodney sighed in irritation. "My ego has no need of that."

Carson laughed. "Aye, it does not."

Despite his lack of social polish, Rodney had a feeling that they were talking with slightly different meanings.

They chose to walk along the direct route from the dock to the palace, Rodney pointing out various places of interest along the way. He was not from the capital – his family hailed from a city further up the Iolanthe River – but had moved here when he was quite young. He and his sister had both attended Iolan's royal academy with hopes of being noticed by the few Asgard who still remained in Iolan, but not long after that the order had left the country entirely, retreating to the heart of Atalan. Rodney was still slightly bitter about the whole affair.

When they reached the palace gates, two members of Queen Elizabeth's guard had joined the Iolanian guardsmen and allowed them entrance. Lady Laura had sent a servant down to take Carson up to their chambers, so Carson went on while Rodney wondered where he was to go. He turned toward the royal residence. At one time he'd had free access to Prince Radek. Hopefully the guards would still recognize him.

It turned out to be a moot point, however. He started toward the royal family's residence, but didn't get far before a young woman turned a corner in front of him. She stopped and gazed at him in shock. "Rodney?"

"Jeannie?" Rodney couldn't help but smile as he hurried forward to greet his sister.

"Rodney, you didn't tell me you were coming!" she exclaimed as they hugged each other.

"It wasn't decided until the day before her Majesty left Atlantis," he told her, pulling out of her embrace. "You're looking well."

"As are you," she replied, and then glanced down at his stomach. "Well-fed, if nothing else."

He pulled a long face at her teasing, which only made her laugh. "Oh, it is good to see you, Rodney," she said. "You must tell me everything."

Jeannie had been living in the palace on the prince's invitation since the onset of winter, so they headed to her chambers. When they arrived, she sent her maid to the steward of the palace to see that rooms were prepared for Rodney.

They'd written to each other fairly often, but Jeannie still bombarded him with questions about Atlantis and his work there. When she'd satiated her curiosity about Atalan for the time being, he leaned back in his chair and awkwardly said, "So you haven't really told me how you're doing."

Jeannie's smile changed, just a little. "I'm well enough, Rodney," she said quietly.

It occurred to him then that she was dressed in black. It had not yet been a year since the plague that took her husband and daughter. She was still in mourning.

"I know I was not as supportive as I could have been when–" he began slowly, but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"None of that," she said. "Please. There's no sense in digging it up again." Jeannie got up then to pour them both a cup of tea. "It's all in the past, and you've done a great deal for me since."

Rodney nodded, though he suspected that she had stopped him because he was being disingenuous. When she'd come to him to tell him that she had accepted the marriage proposal of Lord Caleb Miller, the son of a baronet, he had opposed her decision outright. Their arguments on the subject had been many and long, until finally Rodney gave up because she was clearly going to do what she wanted to anyway.

They had not truly reconciled until the previous year, when Caleb and their young daughter had died of a disease sweeping through southern Iolan. But clearly, it was still something of a raw topic for Jeannie.

He decided to change the subject. "Prince Radek has treated you well?" he prompted.

"Indeed he has," Jeannie replied. "He also invited the rest of Caleb's family here for the winter, though they returned to their home some weeks ago. It was wonderful to see Solstice here."

Rodney smiled at that, glad that she hadn't been alone for the holiday. "Why did you not return with them?"

"Well," she replied, handing him his tea and sitting once more, "Prince Lukas was in need of a new tutor."

Rodney's jaw dropped. "You tutor the prince?"

Jeannie smiled. "Only in literature and languages, and under the supervision of his uncle," she said. "Prince Radek knew I did not wish to remain idle and he found the young prince's questions exceeding his own ability to answer them at times. It has given me an excuse to resume my own studies as well."

"I'm glad of that," Rodney replied. She'd been just sixteen when she'd married Caleb, and she'd given up her studies at the royal academy to do so, something Rodney had never really reconciled himself to. The flash of her eyes told him that she wasn't interested in canvassing that topic again either.

Before he could say anything more, Jeannie asked, "Is Prince Radek aware that you have come as well?"

"Not unless someone from Atalan has informed him," he said. "I should find him."

"He's probably still busy with Queen Elizabeth."

Her words were innocuous, but something strange in her tone made Rodney look away from his tea. "Jeannie?" he said. "Have you a problem with the queen?"

Jeannie flushed in embarrassment. "No," she said hastily. "I'm sure she is a wonderful person, and she has treated you quite kindly." There she paused, obviously searching for words. "Sometimes I feel I am the only person in the whole of Iolan who is not excited by the prospect of this union. And perhaps it is selfish of me, but I would wish the prince to stay with his people. He is helping to raise our next king, and I can think of no better man for the task than he."

Rodney frowned. "Did you support his claim to the throne, then?" he asked. "I never knew you had an opinion on the matter."

"I did," she replied. "He was the son of the king. He is a man of sound mind and great intelligence. What possible logic could they have had in appointing another to the crown?"

Rodney shrugged. He had not followed the succession battle very closely and could not offer much comment on it. "What's done is done," he told her.

"I know," she said, sipping at her tea. "That does not make it any less frustrating."

Jeannie's maid returned then, telling them that the steward of the palace had found Rodney a room nearby, and it was ready for his use. Jeannie hugged him once more before he left her apartments for his own. After getting settled in, he did need to see his old patron.

The journey had been a long, tiring one, but already it had been worth the weeks at sea. It was good to see Jeannie again.

* * *

Elizabeth had hoped to have some time to herself to rest from her voyage, but it was not to be. As she sat in a plush chair and Kate and Laura directed the servants in unpacking their trunks, Lord George entered, bearing a stack of letters. "Your Majesty," he said, "may I interrupt?"

Sighing softly, she glanced at Kate, who dismissed the servants and followed them to close the door. "I have news," Lord George continued. "Reports from Lord Daniel and some foreign correspondence. The most pressing of these is a report from King Henry."

Elizabeth sat up immediately. "A report from King Henry?" she repeated.

George nodded and sat down on the opposite side of a small table from her. He handed the letter to her, along with a small knife with which to lift the seal from the parchment. Having done so, she unfolded it and began to read aloud.

"'Honored queen'," she read, "'it is with great relief that I write to you now. The first shipment of salt has arrived with promise of more in the days and weeks to come. I know not how you persuaded your nobility to set aside old prejudices, but I thank you for it. My people and I are indebted.

"'The war still rages here, but with reinforcements and fresh supplies we have been able to hold our ground against the Goa'uld, though we have not yet driven them out. But the people are hopeful, and that may be the strongest weapon of all.'"

Here Elizabeth paused and looked up at her guardian. "You did well, my lady," he said to her. "Your actions have likely saved many lives."

She nodded absently as she looked down at the letter again. "'I feel it my duty to inform you,'" she continued, "'that Lord Geoffrey of Sheppard has passed away, and his son Lord John has taken his place as Marquis of Sheppard...'"

There she trailed off, staring at John's name. Two months ago he had still been the disgraced exile who had found a home in her court. Now John was the Marquis of Sheppard. She'd known this was coming for some weeks, but it was still strange to see it in writing, in official correspondence from his king.

John had once told her he had no king. Elizabeth wondered if he still considered her his sovereign queen, Caldoran title notwithstanding. And she wondered how the other nobility of Caldora would react to such an attitude.

"Elizabeth?" George prompted gently. "Is there more?"

Elizabeth shook herself and quickly scanned the rest of the letter. "Nothing of great consequence," she said. "He will write to me again when he has more news for me. I imagine his time for scratching out notes is rather limited."

George nodded and directed her attention to the first of several pages from Daniel. Meanwhile, Elizabeth folded the letter from King Henry up again and held it tightly in her hand, unwilling to let go of it.

* * *

The next morning, Kate slipped carefully from the bed as the sun was just rising. The royal historian of the Iolan court had been asked to give a tour of the palace to the Atalan party that morning. Prince Radek had assured Elizabeth at supper the night before that she would find it diverting. And of course, there would be a "small" banquet that evening, with half of Iolan's nobility in attendance.

Even with so many engagements before her, Elizabeth had not gone to sleep until late in the night. Kate had not spoken to her, but she suspected it was the news that the war in Caldora continued during their travels that had kept her friend awake until the wee hours of the morning.

Kate dressed herself quickly and quietly before stepping into the corridor and nodding to the two guards Marcus had left on duty for the night. At home she would have known precisely where to go to give orders regarding the queen's breakfast. She thought she could find her way to the head of the royal household or if not to the kitchens. Hopefully she could do this without causing a major diplomatic incident, she thought wryly.

Unfortunately the strangeness of the palace or her own tiredness betrayed her, for she quickly became lost. Frowning, she walked to the end of a corridor, only to find it did not lead to the staircase she was expecting.

"My lady?"

She whirled around, heart hammering, to find a young man looking at her curiously. She would have sworn no one was in the corridor a moment ago.

Trying to calm her pulse, she smiled politely. "Forgive me. I was seeking to speak to the kitchen staff or the housekeeper. I fear I have gotten turned about."

The young man bowed respectfully. He was tall, with dark hair and light eyes and strikingly handsome features that reminded her somewhat of Marcus. He was dressed finely, evidently not a servant. "Of course, my lady. I can show you to the housekeeper's rooms."

"That is most kind of you."

He gestured for her to precede him. "It is understandable to lose your way here. I have lived in the palace for nearly a year myself and I still become confused." He paused for a moment before adding nervously. "I imagine the dull stone of our mountains does not compare to the great halls of Atlantis."

A grin crossed her face. "I imagine it was quite obvious that I am newly arrived in your court."

"Indeed," he said. "Though if I may be so bold, I will admit I recognized you instantly."

Kate blinked in surprise. She had been introduced to only a few people the night before, and she was surprised any of them would remember anyone except the queen. "Is that so, sir?"

The young man's cheeks turned a little bright. "I would be a fool if I failed to notice such a beautiful lady the instant I saw her."

She nearly tripped. Thankfully, she had practice in concealing such things. She was saved from answering the flirtatious compliment by their arrival at the door of the housekeeper's suite of rooms. It was evident that the lady was already busily ordering servants about for the day.

Her escort bowed to her. For all her reminded her of Marcus he was, she realized, rather young. She made a desperate grab after her manners. "Would my lord be so kind as to tell me to whom I am indebted for his assistance?"

"Aaron, my lady, Aaron Bosworth of Kensmere."

Kate curtsied, somewhat amused by his abashed eagerness. "My thanks, Lord Aaron."

He bowed again and turned away. Kate turned to her business, thinking to herself that the royal court of Iolan could claim some attractions already.

* * *

Lord George woke and took his breakfast early, aware that the day would be full of activities and time to relax with a good meal would be scarce. He was just finishing the final morsels of an unusual meat and gravy concoction when there was a knock on the door. The only servant present, the one who was there to take his dishes back to the kitchens, immediately sprang into action. At George's nod, the young man opened the door to the visitor.

"It is Prince Radek, my lord."

George nodded. "Let him in, then."

The servant stepped back, holding the heavy oak door open for the prince as he strode into the room. George stood respectfully and pushed the tray of empty plates away and said to the servant, "I have finished. My compliments to the cooks."

"Thank you, my lord," the servant replied. He gathered up the dishes and hurried out, leaving the two men alone.

"Good morning, Lord George," Radek said. "I trust your first night here was a good one?"

"Indeed it was. Thank you, your Highness," George said. He gazed steadily at the younger man, taking note of the slight fidgeting in his stance and his faintly anxious expression. George was no fool. There was only one reason as to why the prince was here, meeting with him separately from Elizabeth.

"I pray, my lord, that you will not think me presumptuous, but I wish to do this properly, according to the customs of both your country and mine," Radek told him. George waited in silence, allowing the prince to gather his composure.

After a moment, Radek continued. He seemed to have decided to just come out with it. "It is no secret that I have great regard for her Majesty, and I wish to obtain your permission to formally court her."

So there it was. The words that George knew the entire college of lords at home longed to hear. Prince Radek was highly respected by many lords in Atalan and was also the favorite foreign candidate for Elizabeth's hand. Everyone knew that he harbored feelings for her, and that she returned them to at least some degree.

Radek had done what was proper, coming to him first. Elizabeth had attained her majority, but George still remained her guardian until such time that she was married, even if his actual authority over her was extremely limited. Any suitors worth their salt would know to seek his approval first.

"Her Majesty rarely speaks aloud of such things," George finally replied. "I do know that she greatly values your friendship and would not be unwilling to receive your courtship, your Highness. You have my blessing to court my ward, but it will ultimately be her decision to accept you or not." The marquis did his best to inject a note of caution into the conversation, but the look of relief passing briefly over Radek's face made him wonder just how successful he had been. The two men exchanged a few other pleasantries before the prince departed.

George watched him go. If Elizabeth chose to accept Radek's suit, he would do nothing to stand in the way of it. Theirs would be a good match, certainly far better than the patched-up, fragile alliance that he, Daniel, Jacob, and Jack had pushed on Elizabeth when she was barely more than a child. Thoughts of what could have occurred had Simon Wallis not been killed still haunted his dreams at times. As horrible as it sounded, it was a relief that Elizabeth had come to the throne without a husband and possibly an infant heir in tow.

Marriage to Radek would be good for her, he thought. There was nothing to oppose it, except perhaps the shadow of a foreign knight. But George was certain that Elizabeth would do what was right – for herself and for Atalan's future.

* * *

Prince Radek did not waste much time beginning his courtship.

After Elizabeth had been in Iolan for a few days, he arranged a picnic luncheon out on a hilltop south of the palace. Laura suspected that he'd really intended it to be more private, but in the end Elizabeth came with everyone of her party except Lord George.

But the meal was a pleasant one. Prince Radek had invited Rodney McKay and his sister, Lady Jean. Jeannie and Rodney told stories of their childhood, more than one involving Rodney getting caught doing something he shouldn't have been doing, though Jeannie had gotten into her fair share of reckless scrapes as a girl. Carson, who was sitting next to Laura, recalled an adventure he and his brothers had gone on that ended with them all stark naked in the middle of a field. Laura had heard him tell the story before, but it still made her smile.

As they all laughed over Carson's tale, though, Laura noticed a shadow on Elizabeth's face. Belatedly it occurred to her that telling stories about siblings and happy childhoods perhaps wasn't the kindest thing for Elizabeth. Before she or Kate could react, though, Radek had whispered something to Elizabeth and she nodded. He helped her to her feet and they moved off together, arm in arm.

Laura could practically feel the conflict Elizabeth was going through as the prince began to press his suit to her. The feelings she was harboring for John of Sheppard were strong, but Laura wasn't sure that Radek wouldn't be able to win her over in the end. He was just the right combination of attentive and respectful to persuade Elizabeth of his value as a husband, especially given that they were already good friends.

It was better than her marrying a stranger, Laura supposed. Though she knew that the vast majority of those at home were greatly anticipating news of an engagement, she herself was not convinced.

"My lady?" said a voice next to her. Laura turned to see Jeannie studying her curiously. "You seemed rather lost in thought."

"I have my contemplative moments," she said with good humor. "Is something the matter?"

"No, not at all," Jeannie replied before dropping her voice slightly. "I hope we did not offend the queen."

Laura shook her head. "I doubt it," she said.

"This trip has not been very restful for any of you, has it?"

"No," Laura replied. "I believe the queen thought it might be more relaxing to be here, away from her court, but I'm afraid this has not been the case."

"You're newly married, are you not?" Jeannie asked.

Laura nodded, looking over at her husband. Carson was chatting with Rodney, while Kate had gotten up to walk a little. Lorne had followed her and the two were now talking. "That may be contributing a little to her Majesty's stress. We've not yet found a proper balance between my position with the queen and my... duties as a wife."

Jeannie smiled kindly. "I did not have a position like yours or your husband's when I was newly married, but it did take time to get used to marriage anyway," she said. "You'll find the balance."

"I hope so, for her Majesty's sake," Laura replied. "And for Kate's, come to think of it. I worry that she's overworking herself now. She's always been very protective of the queen."

By then Carson and Rodney had turned their attention back to the ladies. "That is something of an understatement, love," Carson said. "Do you not remember the Solstice ball?"

Jeannie looked around the group. "What happened?"

"Kate was dancing with an ambassador who'd had enough wine for three men," she explained. "There was no way she could allow him near the queen, and the only thing she could think of to distract him from seeking an audience was to ask him to accompany her out to the verandah alone."

"And I take it this ambassador was not the type to recite poetry to a woman he admired," Jeannie replied, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"No, not exactly," Laura said. "Kate never should have gone anywhere with him, but she can be impulsive at times."

Rodney shot a look at his sister. "That sounds familiar."

"How did Lady Katherine escape from this particular adventure?" Jeannie asked, ignoring her brother.

"Sir John rescued her from the man's clutches," Carson remarked, coming closer to Laura. "I suppose it's your turn to be rescued by him, Laura. He's rescued Kate and the queen already, after all."

Laura simply rolled her eyes at him. "Let us hope such a thing is not needed,” she said. "With the current state of affairs it might fall to you to rescue one of us.”

Carson shivered a little. "Pray that it does not, love,” he said, "for I am skilled in healing wounds, not in inflicting them. And I have not Sir John's experience among nobles.”

Laura turned the conversation to another topic then, but for some reason her husband's words bothered her.

* * *

Elizabeth leaned gratefully on Radek's arm as they climbed the small hill to look out over the private forest attached to the royal palace. Even after all these years, the loss of her parents and all her siblings still haunted her, and she couldn't help the melancholy from seizing her when she listened to other people's stories of their happy childhoods.

They paused and Radek sighed a little. "I confess I'm somewhat envious of Rodney." He frowned for a moment. "And those are words I never expected to hear myself say."

Elizabeth grinned. "What is it that you envy?"

"He and Jeannie were very close as children. They fought over her marriage but they were able to mend the breach." He paused. "I'm not sure I have ever held a vehement opinion about my sister, or she about me, in the entirety of our lives."

She reached over with her free hand to take hold of his. But aloud she said, "Not even after your father's death?" She'd heard stories of the bitter fight in the court to establish the line of succession after the old king's death. Radek's father had not given instruction that the crown should go to Radek, and the presence of a male heir through his older sister's line had proved contentious, though Elizabeth's time in the court so far had not shown her any lingering animosity.

"Well," Radek hedged, smiling a little. "Perhaps one or two."

Elizabeth leaned closer to him, her voice softening. "I can understand your feelings. I have only a few memories of my own siblings. My one brother lived long enough for me to remember holding him when I was still very small, but..." Emotion choked her unexpectedly. Alarmed, Radek pulled his arm from her grasp to wrap it around her shoulders. Even though it was a warm day, she found herself comforted by the solid heat at her side. "I am sorry-"

"Do not apologize, Elizabeth," he cut her off. "I know that a queen must maintain her composure in public but you are a woman first, and it is natural for you to grieve what you lost so unfairly."

She fixed her eyes on the treetops for a moment. His advice was almost precisely the opposite of anything Daniel or Lord George would ever have said. It reminded her that this man didn't care about her rule or her position, but about Elizabeth, the person behind those titles. He always had. She couldn't keep her mind from imagining what it would be like to have him at her side like this, someone she could turn to who would support her rather than constantly harp about her throne or her country.

She turned to look at him and her heart began to race at the affection in his eyes, and the way he was looking at her mouth.

But there were voices behind them, and they both seemed to recall that they were surrounded still by guards and other people. Radek released her from his embrace, but he didn't let go of her hand. Instead he raised it to his lips without looking away from her eyes.

The gesture, unfortunately, only reminded her of John, and Elizabeth turned towards the others, feeling as though cold water had been tossed over her.


	2. Chapter 2

The grand ball to celebrate the visit of the monarch of Atalan was an enormous, elaborate affair. Nearly all of Marcus' men were in the room, keeping watch over the crowd while Marcus and Master Stackhouse, his second in command, both shadowed the queen through the throng of people. At home, only Marcus attended the queen in this type of situation, but here, he had decided at least two of them needed to be near the queen at all times.

The ball was in full swing when the Prince of Iolan requested Elizabeth's hand for the second time that evening. She had opened the ball with him as a formality before receiving the attentions of the other Iolanian noblemen in order. Now she was free to choose her dancing partners at will and while Marcus did not consider himself in any way a gossip, he knew that her choice would be seen as greatly important. As the onlookers began to watch and whisper, Marcus caught sight of Laura dancing with one of Iolanian lords as Elizabeth and Prince Radek spun around the floor. Then he overheard something that made his blood freeze.

"That one? The redhead?" a male voice said close behind him.

"Yes, she's newly married," answered another man. Both voices seemed to him to be young, though he could not see who spoke without turning about in an obvious manner.

"That explains the look in her eye," the first man said, his lewd smirk almost audible. Marcus felt his pulse kick up at the remarks being aimed at Laura. Who were these men and how dare they say such a thing? And with a member of the Atalanian royal guard right before them?

"The blonde one is still unattached," the second man said. Kate appeared not far from them through the throng, dancing with an older man who seemed somewhat out of breath but still smiled hugely at Kate as they moved across the floor.

"Ah, I met her briefly."

"And?"

"You know the type. All rules and protocol and propriety."

"At least on the surface." Marcus clenched his hands into fists as the man continued. "Those types are always the most wild, once you get your hand up between her thighs," the voice said with smug assurance.

"You're thinking of trying to pry her thighs apart with your looks? Even though you hardly know which end of a woman goes up?" his friend jeered.

There was cruel laughter followed by a dismissive snort. "She's older than the queen and not married yet. She's handsome enough so why no husband? There are rumors about her and some foreign knight who was in Atlantis anyway. Perhaps she's looking for some fresh amusement here and waiting for an offer."

It took every bit of self-control Marcus possessed not to turn around and strike the first man within his reach. He knew that Kate herself would have been angry but dismissive of two callow young males so clearly without a grain of sense, but none of that mitigated his fury. He wanted to draw his sword and force them to recant their filthy insinuations about his lady.

He couldn't, of course. The voices moved off and he fought to calm down. In addition to being in the middle of a crucial diplomatic situation, he was not Kate's husband, not yet. His only right here was to watch over her physical safety. It was not his place to issue a challenge protecting her honor, no matter how badly he longed to.

The queen and the prince ended their dance and Elizabeth acknowledged the approach of the man who had been dancing with Laura. Marcus shifted his position carefully as Elizabeth began the next dance. But he could not help noticing that Kate was now dancing with a much younger man. He was clearly noble-born and very handsome.

The young man said something to Kate which made her laugh and blush slightly and Marcus felt his stomach drop. He had no way of knowing if her partner were one of the men he had overheard.

He shook himself. The truth was Kate was very often a veritable wall of propriety and she was also smart and quick-witted. Any fool who dared put a hand on her that wasn't welcome would receive a dressing down of epic proportions, if not worse.

But his mind traitorously recalled the many occasions when he himself had transgressed the boundaries of courtship when his hunger for her overrode his and her common sense. Kate usually met his attentions with eagerness, matching his desire with her own. Those glimpses of passion were one of the things he relished about their relationship, being given that insight into her character.

Though she was just as likely to pull away from him before things could get out of their control, he reminded himself.

He was certain of Kate's sense of honor, as certain as he was that he loved her. Yet some tiny, niggling doubt lingered in the back of his mind, even as he cut his eyes away from her and back to the queen.

* * *

 

"Ah, Aaron! Come take the hand of this lovely young lady."

Kate turned as her dancing partner, an older man named Jarek who was viscount of a small province in western Iolan, called to someone she could not see. "Lady Katherine, may I introduce the Marquis of Kensmere?"

Kate raised her eyes and froze in shock. It was the young man who had helped her that first morning when she became lost. He had introduced himself as Aaron Bosworth only. Certainly there had been no mention that he was one of the highest ranking men in the court!

Aaron bowed. "I have already had the honor of introducing myself to Lady Katherine," he said with a smile. "But I would be most grateful for her hand for the next set."

Operating on ingrained politeness, she curtsied and accepted his outstretched hand wordlessly.

As they began to circle the floor, he looked at her somewhat sheepishly. "My lady, I think perhaps I owe you an apology."

"For what possible offense, my lord?" she said sarcastically.

"I fear I was so startled by your appearance outside my chambers that morning, I neglected to introduce myself properly," he said, pulling a sober face.

"Indeed, my lord." Kate was recovering her equilibrium as they danced, and she could see he was enjoying her teasing even as he tried to apologize.

"You see," Aaron added, turning her flawlessly through a complicated series of steps. "I had been so struck by your beauty from my first sight of you, I was disbelieving that fate would bring you outside my own door first thing in the morning. I wondered if perhaps I was dreaming."

The words were placating flattery, but the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes made Kate's heart start to race, even though she had no reason to care for his flirtations.

"Perhaps, my lord, if I may suggest, you should concentrate on remembering your manners better, even in your dreams," she said, a little tartly. She was flustered by his look and it vexed her enough to make her slightly harsher than she liked.

Aaron didn't seem to mind it, however. He laughed. "If I vow to be on my best behavior for the remainder of your visit, do you think you can forgive me eventually?"

In spite of herself, Kate smiled. "In good time, perhaps."

* * *

 

The first week of her stay in Iolan left Elizabeth dazed. Partly that was the chaos of continual engagements; outings and teas, banquets, balls, and performances in her honor filled almost every waking hour. And everywhere she went people were flocking to her, striving to gain just a moment of her attention. This wasn't new, of course. Someone always wanted her ear on some matter at home as well. But it was refreshing to feel as though the shower of compliments was at least a little less manipulative than it was at home.

When the queen's party wasn't engaged in a formal social event, they spent much of the time touring the great palace. The royal seat of Iolan and its extensive grounds were stunning. Even while she secretly felt the palace itself couldn't compare to Atlantis, the great sweep of the lawns and gardens was amazing. She was particularly interested in the architecture of the south wing, as that had been where her ancestress had lived. Elizabeth's great-great grandfather's sister had married a prince of Iolan. She had been Radek's great-grandmother, and her influence on the decoration of the south wing was still evident.

Radek was at her side through much of the whirl of the visit, though he spent his mornings with his nephew. Even absent, he was never far from her thoughts, however, especially after the third morning, when an enormous bouquet of the most beautiful irises she had ever seen appeared as if by magic in her rooms. The hand-written note, folded and tucked within the stems, had brought a blush to her cheek as she read it and again when Radek had solicitously asked whether the gift had met with her approval.

She found herself wondering exactly how much her old friend had been holding back all these years.

He didn't oppress her with further tokens, nor did he suddenly start spouting poetry to her, for which Elizabeth was grateful, as she was afraid she would have laughed had he tried. But with much of the city and the court heaping praises upon her, literally singing hymns to her beauty and generally lavishing her with attention, he didn't need to. The nation was practically doing his wooing for him, and Elizabeth found herself rather swept away by it all.

It was something of a relief to depart the palace for a brief side-trip to the family seat of Norfolk. The other branch of Elizabeth's Iolanian relatives resided there. The Duchess of Norfolk was an elderly woman who could no longer travel easily. Elizabeth was eager to meet her, and to escape the dazzling, and sometimes oppressive, excitement of the court for a couple of days.

* * *

 

The trip from the capital city of Rainier to the hall of Norfolk province did not take long. The carriages wound around through the hills that surrounded the great harbor of Iolan's capital to reach the estate, which was out on a large promontory overlooking the ocean. The weather had turned warm enough inland that the approach to the seashore had been welcomed by the party from Atalan.

The province of Norfolk encompassed the capital and the harbor, making it an extremely powerful and wealthy area within Iolan. The first morning of their visit in Norfolk was taken up with a trip down to the shipyards at Elizabeth's specific request. Though the Ori had damaged Iolan's navy a generation ago, there were virtually no signs of it. If anything, Iolan's navy was even stronger now, which accounted for the Wraith being pushed further into Atalan's waters. Iolan's shores were becoming too well-protected.

Lord George had noticed the look on Elizabeth's face, as well as on Master McKay's, as they toured the shipyards. He suspected Daniel would be receiving a letter written before the queen even left Iolan regarding the state of the shipyards in Atlantis.

In the afternoon, George settled himself in a comfortable chair in the shade of the great hall of Norfolk, watching as the younger members of the family gathered about Elizabeth and her party. They were engaged in a lawn game of some sort. Laura was heatedly debating the rules, which evidently differed between Iolan and Atalan, with the adolescent grandson of the duchess, while Elizabeth, Kate and Carson practiced.

Elena, the Duchess of Norfolk, was a heavy-set woman about twenty or more years his senior who leaned on a cane to walk. She appeared and took the seat next to him, waving away his attempt to rise politely to his feet. Her body might have been failing, but her eyes were still sharp, and George was sure she missed nothing as she looked over the scene before them.

"You have done very well with our cousin, my lord," she said gracefully, watching Elizabeth laughing with Carson over something. "She has none of the sullenness I would have expected in a girl raised with such stress attending her existence."

George blinked momentarily. The duchess did have a reputation for forthrightness. "Thank you, my lady."

She twisted in her seat. "So, what is your impression of our humble nation?" she asked with an amused look.

He tried to look placid. "Firstly, I am not certain the word humble could ever be connected with Iolan," he said. It was a slightly daring speech, but he was rewarded when the lady chuckled deeply. Something in her face reminded him of Elizabeth's late father, though he would never be foolish enough to say so.

"Indeed, I can only imagine the young pups of the royal court falling over themselves to get the queen's favor, only to carry on in private about how unimpressed they are with the lady."

George shifted uncomfortably. It was true, the praises coming from the lords and ladies were lavish, but he hadn't heard anything else so far.

Elena appeared not to notice. "Peacetime spreads its own brand of evils. The youngsters now in court have puffed themselves up with their internal squabbling these last few years. Perhaps this new aggression by the Goa'uld will teach them some sense."

George hazarded a careful question. "I had understood that the succession battle within the court had been settled amicably."

A dark look passed over her. "On the surface, perhaps. The prince and princess have put aside any ill-feeling for the boy's sake." She spoke of Prince Lukas, the future king, with the casualness that only a person of such power could. Norfolk was the single most powerful province in Iolan and had been for centuries. No ruler of Iolan had been able to survive without the province's backing.

Elena turned to George. "The court has long memories, my lord. You would do well to remember that yourself. The fight over the succession was bitter, and a number of the nobility are still licking their wounds."

His instincts tightened with familiar worry. Politics, it appeared, was the same everywhere.

She seemed to sense his alarm. "You know that the Assembly was divided over the question of who the rightful heir was when his Majesty passed away?" He nodded, and she folded her hands over the top of her cane, as though telling the story to a child. "I have never witnessed a fight within the court as vicious as that one, and I have lived enough years to have seen a great deal. Alliances that had been centuries old cracked under the weight of it. Natalya and her brother tried to remain out of the worst of the fighting for the sake of her son, but several of the lords, including the Marquises of Columbia and Kensmere, threw all their power behind one or the other. Kensmere supported Prince Lukas, while the Marquis of Columbia supported Radek. Given the decision, Columbia lost a great deal of power. It's made him quite a bitter man."

Lord George recalled meeting the young Marquis of Kensmere, but not the Marquis of Columbia. He made a mental note to speak to Prince Radek about the man when they returned. Unable to restrain his curiosity, he leaned forward. "And may I ask where Norfolk laid her vote?"

Elena looked steadily off into the trees. "It was my vote for Prince Lukas that decided the question." Given that Radek's friendship with Elizabeth was no secret, George thought the duchess had to expect his discomfort with this statement. She continued quickly. "My choice had nothing to do with the prince, I assure you. He is a good man, one without grand ambition, at least of the political kind. In my experience, that makes for the best leaders." She trailed off for a moment, leaving him to wonder what, precisely, her opinion of Natalya was, but he shook it off.

She waved the cane at the estate surrounding them. "Norfolk has been in this family for over four centuries, Lord Hammond. It has been so because long ago the legacy was entailed to the oldest living child of the reigning duke, regardless of sex. Many women have come before me to this seat, and I am sure more will come after." It was impossible to miss the pride that fairly radiated off Elena as she spoke. "The royal family unfortunately never included the provision regarding sex into their entailment, which is what lead to the crisis when the king died without leaving some kind of instruction."

Her tone was clear testament to her feelings on that, but she moved swiftly on. "Because of that legacy, when the vote came, I felt compelled to support the right of the eldest child to the throne. It was not a decision made out of loyalty to my sex, nor was it based solely on merit." There she checked herself momentarily. "I owed my line a vote of my conscience. Many of the others voted for the side they felt was right, but a few were angling for power and gain rather than the good of Iolan."

She lowering her voice as if to ensure they were not overheard even though no one was nearby. "I expect you have received subtle but enthusiastic support of Radek's suit to your ward?" He nodded and her face clouded. "Beware of the court, Lord Hammond. Especially be careful with those who supported Natalya, including Kensmere."

Genuinely baffled, he blurted out the question before he could think. "Why?"

"As I said, peacetime breeds paranoia." She jutted her chin towards Elizabeth, who had apparently just lost her team the game. "If our cousin were to die without issue, what would become of the throne of Atalan? To whom would it pass?"

"No one is certain, my lady," he said, brought up short by the strange question. "The queen's nearest relative is the Duke of Langford, her cousin on her mother's side. But the line of the throne descends to her through her father, and the duke may not have the right to claim it." Indeed, knowing what he did, George wasn't sure Daniel would want to make the attempt even if forced, given his history with the college of lords.

The duchess nodded gravely and said in an even quieter voice. "If something happens to Natalya, it is possible the succession to Iolan's throne would revert back to Radek."

"What about the young prince?"

"Natalya is not queen, only regent. The law states the oldest living heir of the last monarch is first in order. The last monarch was the king, their father."

She said nothing more for a moment, but George could easily envision the disaster that could erupt if such a circumstance were to happen. Realization dawned and he looked at her with a renewed sense of concern. "What you are suggesting, my lady, is that there are those in the court here who wish to get Prince Radek married to the Queen of Atalan for other reasons."

She nodded. "If Radek marries Elizabeth, his own assembly could require him to formally renounce his claim to the throne of Iolan in order to be named Prince Consort to a foreign queen."

Before he could reply, or truly wrap his mind around this information, Elizabeth approached them, the faithful Captain Lorne not far behind her. He sat back as Elizabeth seated herself on the other side of the duchess and the two women began to talk.

The court of Iolan suddenly no longer seemed such an open and friendly place.

* * *

 

On the day after their return from Norfolk to the capital, Elizabeth was to address Iolan's nobility. The speech was not until the afternoon, but that morning the queen stood in the nearly empty hall to practice her address on the unity their nations had enjoyed for generations. Within the speech were subtle suggestions that Iolan needed to join Atalan in her support of Caldora during the invasion. Protected as she was by the bulk of both Atalan and Caldora, Iolan's risk of being attacked by the Goa'uld was significantly less. Any decision to get involved would be more for politics than practicality, but Elizabeth believed in the importance of fostering stronger ties among all the free nations against the day when the Goa'uld turned their eyes to Atalan.

It was not just a practice for the queen, however. Marcus had his men scattered through the great assembly hall, determining the best positions for them to prevent any sort of attack upon the queen. Atalan's hall of lords was easier to secure, with only three entrances to guard, whereas Iolan's had six on two different levels. To top it off, it would not just be the nobility in attendance. There were people from the city and surrounding areas already gathered outside the palace waiting to know if they would be allowed in to hear Elizabeth speak.

In the middle of the depth of seats in the hall was a break in the rows to allow people to pass through. At the juncture of this and the main aisle, Marcus stood watching, for from there he could see virtually every corner in the room. Kate was sitting a few rows up on the aisle, listening to Elizabeth practicing.

While Lord George interrupted the queen to offer some advice, Marcus saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned and saw a young gentleman trying to enter the chamber. He'd seen the man with Kate a few times since their arrival in Iolan and knew he was a respected member of the nobility. The guard at that door looked to Marcus, who nodded. The man came in, walked past Marcus with a cursory nod, and then settled next to Kate.

Marcus wouldn't have thought anything of it, except that just a few moments later the man leaned over and whispered something to Kate that made her giggle softly.

There were very few people in the world who had ever seen that side of Kate, at least since Marcus had known her. On the outside she was serious and composed, a woman eminently suited for the role she now filled. But beyond that was a woman with a beautiful laugh and a sharp wit. And he was certain that he was the only man who had seen what she was when all those barriers were stripped away: a woman of great passion.

Still, since they had arrived in Iolan, her spirits seemed higher than normal. Clearly the novelty of a new place was agreeable to her.

It was soon blatantly obvious that the man was not there to hear Queen Elizabeth practicing. He was there to see Kate. Marcus knew that part of Kate's job was to ensure that the queen had good relations with the nobility, something that had extended to Iolan's nobility during the course of this trip. Of course, noblemen were still men and some could be swayed by the coquettish smile of a beautiful woman like Kate. Until she was married, if not well after, this would be part of her duties.

That didn't mean Marcus had to enjoy it.

In the back of his mind now the two voices he had overheard at the ball nagged at him. He had not mentioned the conversation to anyone yet, but the attitude of the men worried him. Still, in the midst of such a public setting, he doubted there was any reason for concern for her safety.

Up on the dais, Elizabeth began her speech over again, and Marcus moved to a different position where he couldn't see Kate.

* * *

 

Kate watched Marcus as he walked up to the front of the hall with his hands clasped behind his back. She could tell from his stance that he was more than usually tense about something. That was not overly surprising. This entire trip had been a test of his skills as captain. Hopefully, when they all returned to Atalan, some of the weight would lift from his shoulders.

"He seems quite young for his position," Aaron remarked from her side. The tension in the captain of the guard was apparently quite obvious.

"He is," Kate replied quietly, "but not under qualified. He had been in our lady's guard less than a year when he nearly died defending her."

"Indeed? When was this?"

"Three years ago," she said. "My lady was riding on the mainland when her party was ambushed." It would be difficult for her to forget that night she'd spent at his side, praying that he would wake and that Elizabeth would be found safe.

"Pardon me for saying this, Lady Katherine," Aaron said, "but your queen's young life seems to have been unusually fraught with peril."

Kate was somewhat annoyed by the light tone of his statement, but she decided not to press the issue and simply answered his remark. "Indeed. But hopefully that has changed since her coronation."

Aaron made a noncommittal sound before looking back at the queen and changing the subject. "I understand Lady Laura is recently married," he said. "Should I assume that now that the queen is safely upon her throne, you might do the same?"

Kate shrugged. "I've had no offers worth considering, my lord," she replied.

"My name is Aaron, my lady," he said, looking at her once more with a certain warmth in his eyes.

There was, perhaps, something dangerous in encouraging him, but Kate so rarely made new friends that she decided this would not hurt, as long as she was careful not to encourage him to anything beyond mere friendship. They would not be in Iolan much longer anyway. She smiled and said, "And mine is Kate."

* * *

 

The sun was setting as the queen's party retired to her chambers so that Elizabeth could change her gown before the banquet in her honor. The queen was flushed and radiant, her speech having been a rousing success. As there had been many citizens of Iolan in the galleys, news of the speech was sure to spread far and wide. It was a great victory for her.

Prince Radek left them briefly, promising to return to escort Elizabeth to the receiving hall. Kate had prepared Elizabeth's evening gown earlier, so they were able to effect the switch quickly. When they returned to the front room, Laura went to work on tidying Elizabeth's hair. Lord George was sipping some tea with Carson, and Marcus waited near the door.

"My lady?" he said, looking unusually anxious about something.

"Captain," Elizabeth nodded.

Marcus darted a glance at Kate. "There is something I need to speak to you about. I should perhaps have mentioned this earlier..."

The room went quiet. "What is it, Captain?" Elizabeth looked almost a little resentful but she remained composed.

"It is nothing serious," Marcus said quickly. "I just... during the ball last week, I overheard a conversation between two of the younger male guests that alarmed me."

"What was it about?" Lord George asked, looking worried.

Marcus began to get red-faced. "They were, ah, making inappropriate comments about Lady Katherine."

Kate whipped around. Lord George looked like a thundercloud.

"I could not see who they were, and I did not wish to create a scene," Marcus explained, shooting Kate an apologetic look.

Elizabeth made a sour face. "While I appreciate how unpleasant that must have been, Captain, I somehow doubt that this is the first time lewd comments have been uttered by two tipsy young men at a ball."

Marcus seemed to gather Elizabeth's underlying question. "Yes, my lady. My concern is with the risk to Lady Katherine or yourself. If this attitude is common among the men in the court, the slightest encouragement could lead to a difficult situation."

He got no further. Elizabeth turned in her seat to face him. She looked torn between irritation and amusement. "Have you any evidence that it is?"

Before he could answer, Kate took a step forward. Her back was stiff and Laura could tell she was definitely not amused. "And do you seriously think either her Majesty or myself would behave in a fashion that would invite such behavior?"

Marcus literally retreated a step, raising his hands defensively. "Kate, I only spoke out of concern. We all of us are well aware that even a wholly innocent conversation can be twisted by gossip into something unseemly."

Kate backed down and Elizabeth had a rueful look on her face. "Indeed."

Lord George looked thoughtful. "I believe there is more going on beneath the surface of the court here than we have been aware of."

Elizabeth turned toward him. "You think the captain is correct?"

He shifted. "I was not thinking specifically of that. But the Duchess of Norfolk spoke to me of certain lingering resentments within the court over the succession when the late king died."

Elizabeth frowned. "I have not noticed any particular chill in the court over this."

"Perhaps not." Lord George got up. "But it would behoove us all to take care with what we say when we know so little of the history between these people."

* * *

 

One of the first things Captain Sumner had taught Marcus was that the most dangerous act for his charge was moving through a receiving line. Unfortunately, since his charge was a queen, there was no shortage of those.

Before the formal banquet with the assembly began, Marcus found himself standing beside the queen as she greeted a seemingly endless line of Iolanian nobles. Most of them she had already met in the course of her visit, but this was a state affair, so the introductions were required again. It was mind-numbingly boring for him, but with the queen in close contact with so many people, he still had to remain alert.

An Iolanian page was leading the queen through the receiving line, subtly keeping any individual from taking too much of her time. Marcus had seen the pages of Atlantis perform similar functions, not to mention Elizabeth's secretary, Peter Grodin, but it never failed to amaze him that someone could control so many noblemen with merely a few words and a well-timed look.

They were nearing the end of the line when the page's specific words caught his attention. "Your Majesty, the Marquis of Columbia, Lord Frank Simmons."

It took all of Marcus' control not to jerk his head in the man's direction. Simmons was the name Sarah Gardner had given them as a conspirator in some sort of plot against Atalan. She had told them of an overheard conversation between two of the Goa'uld lords, her former master Osiris and his master Anubis. They had mentioned some scheme regarding Atalan, the timing of which had coincided with the assassination attempt on the morning of Elizabeth's coronation. While hardly proof, Marcus had been warned by Lord George and Lord Daniel to keep this information firmly in mind during the trip. But when the name had not appeared during the first week of their stay, Marcus had put it to the back of his mind.

He took in the nobleman's appearance while Elizabeth spoke to him. He was an unctuous man, with hair that was rather too slick and clothing too perfect. He was taller than most men but not overly remarkable, and Marcus could see why the Goa'uld might have chosen a man like him, so indistinct.

Elizabeth was conversing with him graciously. To nearly everyone in the room, she would have appeared at ease, but Marcus had not spent the last four years of his life in her company for nothing. She was also aware of Lady Sarah's information, and he could tell that she was wondering if this was the man.

The page intervened before long and moved Elizabeth through the rest of the line. At that point, Prince Radek offered her his arm, and Marcus fell in step behind them as the whole company entered the banquet hall. Marcus had felt more comfortable about the hall than he would have anticipated before seeing it. Unlike the banquet halls of Atlantis, here there were no columns along the perimeter, no galleries up above, and no places in which to hide.

Now, though, it felt as though his every nerve was twitching with anxiety.

At the head table, Elizabeth was seated between the queen mother and Prince Radek, with young Prince Lukas on the other side of his mother. Laura and Carson were seated not far away on her left while Kate was on Elizabeth's right, speaking with a portly gentleman with a bright red face who had been introduced as a viscount. The younger man who had come into the assembly hall before the speech was sitting next to Kate again and was staring at her with ill-disguised admiration. She was being polite with him, but not encouraging his attentions. It appeared his earlier warning and that of Lord George had both been taken to heart. But Marcus' attention was on the queen.

He stood back several feet from her Majesty's seat, as he usually did, but as the meal progressed, Elizabeth cast a glance at him and just barely nodded toward the table. Slowly, he approached.

The reason for this unorthodox request was soon apparent. Within moments, the queen said to Radek, "Prince, will you humor me and tell me more about one of your noblemen?"

"Certainly," the prince replied, reaching for his wine. "Which one?"

"Lord Simmons," she said. "He seemed most interested in Atalan."

"He accompanied me to your coronation," Radek replied. "He must have been taken with your lovely city."

"Indeed?" Elizabeth prompted, while Marcus struggled to keep from looking like he was eavesdropping on the conversation.

"Yes, he..." Radek trailed off for a moment, collecting himself. "I fear he fell out on the losing side of a political battle for having supported me. But he has been a friend in times past, so I asked him to join the party to Atalan."

Marcus imagined that the queen might feel some guilt over this later, but she gave Radek a curious look, silently asking him to proceed. There was nothing in the world more compliant than a man in love, and Marcus was in no way surprised when the prince continued speaking.

"I imagine you are already aware of the difficulties among the nobility after my father's death," Radek said, lowering his voice. Elizabeth nodded, so he continued.

"Lord Simmons was in support of my claim to the throne," Radek explained. "He was one of the most outspoken in the matter, and he lost a great deal of power when it was over."

The conversation shifted then to a discussion of a woman's right to the throne, a male heir's presence notwithstanding, and Queen Mother Natalya joined in herself. Marcus looked to the other side of the table and briefly met Lord George's gaze. Elizabeth's guardian had heard the conversation too.

Marcus clasped his hands behind his back. This trip had just gotten interesting.

* * *

 

The banquet lasted some hours. By the end of it, Elizabeth had observed that Captain Lorne and Lord George were growing impatient. She could hardly blame them. It was entirely possible that the greatest of threats to her was just yards away, after all, and there was nothing they could do about it at the moment.

Thankfully, Elizabeth could feign great weariness when she wished to escape some public function. The queen mother and prince immediately responded, letting Elizabeth leave the hall for her own rooms instead of keeping her up in conversation longer into the night.

But when they had arrived in her suite, she paced across the room in order to face them all. "Have we found him?" she asked when the door was securely closed.

No one in the room needed clarification. Kate looked anxious and almost hostile. Laura sank down into a chair, looking shaken. "I confess, I never expected we would find such a villain in Iolan," she said.

Marcus crossed his arms over his chest. "No country is free from such lack of virtue, Laura," he quietly said.

"I am well aware of that," she replied. "But that does not make it less of a shock."

Troubled, Elizabeth sat down. "What disturbs me is that he is in Prince Radek's inner circle," she said, almost to herself. "Is it possible that he is not the man?"

Lord George hesitated a moment before answering her. "How many other men of noble birth can have that name, your Majesty?" he asked. "I know you do not like the idea of suspecting a friend of the prince, but to orchestrate something like this, he must be a clever man."

"Your Majesty, I feel we must act with all haste," Marcus said, stepping forward.

"And what would you have me do, Captain?" Elizabeth asked. "Do I accuse a man with so little evidence? I trust Lady Sarah and what information she has provided me, but I cannot expect Queen Mother Natalya to do the same. I cannot bring forth so serious a charge without more information than a name whispered among the Goa'uld and a tale of influence lost."

"The captain is right, my lady," Kate answered. Though her voice was steady, Elizabeth could tell that her friend was angry. "If he is the man, then every moment you spend in Iolan is a great risk to you. We must do something."

"We must," Lord George agreed. "Let us find information, that we may clear him of suspicion or bring proof to our hosts."

Of course, there was no other option, and everyone in the room knew it.

"Very well," Elizabeth replied, sighing. "But take care. I do not wish to offend our hosts."

"You may trust us, your Majesty," her guardian replied.

She nodded to the men, dismissing them. When they were gone, she slumped down in a chair. "And here I was under the impression that I came to Iolan to find a husband, not an assassin," she remarked irritably.

Her words caught her ladies' attention. "Elizabeth," Laura said, "have you made a decision?"

"Not yet." Elizabeth sighed and reached for a glass of water on the small table next to her.

Kate walked up behind Laura and started pulling pins out of her hair. "There is perhaps something I could do to help Lord George and Marcus," she remarked.

"What is that?" Elizabeth asked, grateful for the change in subject.

As Laura's red locks tumbled down, Kate replied, "I met the Marquis of Kensmere the first morning we were here. He has been most attentive to me, and I believe he might be easily plied for information."

"Was that the young man sitting near you at supper?" Laura asked. When Kate nodded, Laura grinned slightly. "He looks a bit like Marcus."

Elizabeth recalled the handsome face and dark hair of the young man. Lord George had told her that the Marquis of Kensmere had been a staunch supporter of Natalya's claim to the throne. She had no idea whether that would make it easier or more difficult to learn something from him. For now, she just nodded. "Do what you can, Kate," she said. "John will not be here to protect me from an archer this time. If Simmons is indeed our man, we must stop him before he tries anything."


	3. Alliances (3/5)

Laura spent most of the final week of the visit feeling as though she was holding her breath.

She'd been in a royal court long enough to have gone through more than one investigation, but this one had an expectancy to it that she'd never felt before, albeit one the queen's party had to conceal from their hosts. It was strange, really, to think that they could be so close to apprehending the man responsible for the attempts on Elizabeth's life. And stranger still was the thought that it was not Kinsey who was responsible.

Elizabeth stayed out of the matter, letting Lord George and Marcus handle it. She had other concerns as their stay in Iolan drew nearer to its end. Prince Radek was obviously nearing the last of his opportunities to ask Elizabeth to marry him. He was growing bolder, and in private it was becoming obvious that she was growing uncomfortable.

It was likely the result of all the pressure surrounding the investigation and the courtship and the normal stresses of her position, but Elizabeth seemed no nearer to accepting Radek's advances. Since the night they had met Simmons, Laura had not spoken to Elizabeth about it, and she doubted Kate had either.

She remembered sitting on the stairs back in Atlantis with Kate while Elizabeth was rehearsing the coronation ceremony without them. Radek had been in Atalan at the time, having just given Elizabeth the _Queen Margaret_ and causing quite a storm of rumors among the college of lords. The two girls had talked about Radek's prospects as a suitor. At the time Laura had been adamant that Elizabeth deserved to marry for love, and she was no less convinced of it now. Though marriage had not been wholly what she expected, she could not imagine being married to a man she did not love.

Radek would make a good husband for virtually any woman. But Laura suspected that he did not inspire the passion in Elizabeth that someone else did.

* * *

Iolan did not receive a great many visitors of such high rank as the queen of Atalan, and the royal court had not known such dizzy excitement for some time. As the visit began to draw to a close, the chaos increased to a near-frenzy of activity. Radek had lost track of the luncheons and teas and assemblies on the schedule.

He was greatly relieved when the steward informed him that the next afternoon was free of obligations. The queen needed the morning to deal with some business from home, and the rest of the day was left open until the evening when they were to attend a play together.

Radek asked Elizabeth to go riding with him. He was sure the rest of the court would jump to the conclusion that he meant it to be a romantic undertaking, possibly leading to a proposal, and certainly he had no intention of wasting the chance to be alone with her. However, today was something he had been saving for the appropriate moment.

Elizabeth caught him regarding her closely as they directed their horses down a lane along the far slope of the castle's estate. She gave him a wicked look. "Do you see something amiss, my lord?"

He chuckled. "No, Majesty. I was just thinking to myself that you look far more at ease here than you have these last few days in court."

Elizabeth sighed. "I had hoped I was concealing it better. I seem to find traveling somewhat tiring."

Knowing precisely how little she had traveled in her life, he nodded. "I doubt anyone discerned it besides myself," he soothed her, then could not resist adding, "It would take someone who has had the opportunity to observe you closely in the past."

Her cheeks colored prettily and where once he might have apologized for the insinuation, Radek left his words alone, for he had meant both the spoken and unspoken this time. The woman next to him was no longer the girl-child he had met a few years earlier, still struggling with the death of the husband her guardians had chosen for her. He had been enchanted by her beauty and captivated by her keen mind, and quite close to falling hopelessly in love. But the time had not been right, and she had more need of friends than suitors. He had shaped himself into that role – friend, relative and advisor – while never quite relinquishing his hopes.

She was not that young girl any more, but a grown woman who had shouldered a massive burden. Radek had realized just how much she had aged over the winter months. At first he wondered if was merely the unfamiliar stress of travel, but these last few weeks showed plainly that the stress of her position was wearing on her.

She needed a companion, a voice whispered in his head. A husband and lover, a partner to exist in her world solely to care for her. Someone whose relationship with her was not under any sway of politics. The thought made him ache with a longing that he had been suppressing for far too long.

He led their course through the forests of evergreens, Elizabeth drawing herself alongside him when there was room. He purposely guided his horse around a path along the edges of the estate until he eased to a halt and dismounted. Elizabeth did likewise, as did the two guardsmen behind them.

Her hair had come somewhat loose in the wind, and her face had lost the drawn and worried quality that had been troubling him since her arrival. His nerves increased at her happiness, but he steadied himself. "My lady, I wish to show you something."

Elizabeth looked at him curiously but took the hand he offered.

They threaded along through the trees, the guards leading the horses. He approached a thick swatch of brush and tree trunks and halted again. Elizabeth's expectant look made him grin.

"Close your eyes."

"Radek?"

"Please."

She gave him an indulgent smile and complied with his request.

Radek held both her hands now as he guided her down the last few yards of the path. Elizabeth stepped haltingly, laughing as she stumbled and clung to his hands to stay upright. Finally he stopped her and, taking her gently by the shoulders, turned her to face the correct direction. Standing beside her now, he whispered, "Open your eyes, Elizabeth."

He fixed his eyes on her face as she did so and watched with pleasure as her jaw dropped open and a look of wonder crossed her sweet features.

Before them was a curved lane, lined with fruit trees that overhung the pathway. Flowers arched over the ground like a cathedral's ceiling. It was slightly past the peak of blooming, but the small white petals fluttered down like snow flakes, lining the road with white and filling the air with fragrance. On the other side of the road, a creek bubbled along, cutting across the royal estates before joining the river Iolanthe to the sea.

Elizabeth's eyes drank in the sight. She reached blindly for his hand and squeezed it. "Oh, Radek..."

He tightened his own grip, knowing the futility of words to describe the sight before them.

"This was my grandmother's favorite bit of land in the whole estate," he said, drawing Elizabeth to walk with him down the road. Behind them the guards were murmuring themselves at the landscape. "When I was small she would seat me on her own horse to bring me here. I remember the flowers blooming, and then coming to pick fruit in the summer with her."

Elizabeth shook her head, still looking about her. "It is truly breathtaking."

They walked the length of the road under the trees until they reached a shallow place where the horses could easily reach the water. Elizabeth was remembering her own gardens in Atlantis but, she assured him, they were nothing in comparison to this.

As she spoke, she brushed at some of the petals which had come to rest on her cloak. With her head turned, he saw that one small blossom had fallen entirely and become entangled in her dark hair. Radek stepped forward and gently lifted it free.

Elizabeth turned back and his hand brushed against her cheek. He held up the flower by way of explanation. Her eyes met his and their gazes caught.

It occurred to Radek that their guards were on the other side of the four horses, out of immediate sight. And she was standing very, very close.

"Elizabeth?" His voice was barely a whisper.

He felt more than sensed her intake of breath and the tiniest nod of her head. Then he leaned in and kissed her.

His nerves tingled as she kissed him back and he could not keep his fingers from brushing her cheek. Her lips were soft and warm and her scent floated around him, mingled with the flowers and the damp earth of the creek.

Her hand wrapped around his wrist. He knew every moment meant a greater risk of this being seen but he had dreamed of this for so long, he could not make himself let her go right away. Especially not when she returned his kiss with her own curiosity and her lips moved lightly against his. Hunger flared within him and he reached to tug her even closer.

A cracking noise in the woods snapped both of them back to reality and they separated immediately. His heart was racing and for a moment he hovered, on the verge of speaking to her of the question that had been hanging between them since her arrival.

But her fingers let go of his arm and reached up to brush at something on her neck. Even as his own body was overwhelmed with his feelings, Radek noticed a strange expression pass over her face. It was not the embarrassment he would have expected from his modest lady, but something akin to confusion or frustration. He could not make sense of it and by the time she looked at him again, Elizabeth had schooled her expression into her more public mask.

Radek though perhaps she was ashamed of being seduced into such an act out in the open where anyone could have happened upon them. He suggested at once that they head back to the castle and she agreed with a warm smile, but something about that expression haunted him the entire ride back.

* * *

Normally, Kate mused as she looked over the immaculate sitting room, the queen would have taken at least one of her companions on a ride with a gentleman. Members of two royal guards were with her and Prince Radek, but there was no better protection for a lady's reputation than another lady's presence.

Of course, everyone in the country knew that Elizabeth was there to be courted, and if that was to happen they had to have some semblance of privacy. Besides, Kate had the feeling that Elizabeth was growing weary of being surrounded by so many people all the time. Between the press of the visit and the tension hanging over them all regarding Lord Simmons, Kate could well understand the desire to escape, even briefly.

And Prince Radek deserved the opportunity to put his question to Elizabeth in private.

Laura had gone for a walk through one of the palace gardens with Carson, leaving Kate alone. Elizabeth had been gone above half an hour and would not likely be back for another half hour, and Kate had run out of things to do.

It had been so long since she'd had an idle moment that she wasn't quite sure what to do with herself.

But as she finally decided to pick up a book and read it, there came a knock at the door. It was Aaron.

He bowed to her respectfully, and she nodded to him. "Lord Bosworth," she said. "The queen is out riding this afternoon–"

"I know," he interrupted gently. "I came to see you."

Kate looked down, remembering Marcus' warning as well as Lord George's cautions. "Is there anything you need, sir?"

"Your company," he replied. "I thought you might like to see more of the palace and the grounds this afternoon while you have time to yourself."

Thinking perhaps this would provide her opportunity to speak to him regarding the mystery of Lord Simmons, Kate smiled at him and murmured her thanks and acceptance. She stepped back into the bedroom to retrieve her shawl, and then the two set forth.

Aaron was a charming, well-informed man who served as an excellent guide to the palace, though he claimed he was not that familiar with it. Kate had followed along with Elizabeth's tour of the grounds, but Aaron pointed out the more private libraries and music rooms and gardens instead of focusing on the official areas that had filled so much of their time. She listened with half an ear, her mind turning over how best to approach her task.

He was looking at her, studying her expression. "Do you like the roses, my lady?"

Kate smiled a little. "They are beautiful," she said. "The queen has rose bushes in her garden, which she tends herself. I've spent many a happy hour there with her and Lady Laura."

Aaron smiled back at her. "How long have you been in her Majesty's service?"

"It has been above ten years," Kate replied. "I was almost nine years old when the late Queen Margaret selected me as one of her daughter's companions."

"We do not select royal attendants so young here," he remarked, looking surprised.

"I do not think it is common practice in Atalan either," she told him. "But my lady was in need of companionship. It has been some time since there were many children in Atlantis."

Aaron nodded, guessing the reason for that. "My country did not feel the brunt of the Ori invasion as keenly as yours, or Caldora," he said. "We are a smaller nation, and we were out of their way. They drew some resources and wreaked some havoc in the western marshlands, but little other damage was done."

Kate's expression grew grave. "You were lucky," she said quietly. "I am afraid that we suffered from more than the Ori war. Ten years of incompetence did as much damage, I suspect, as the Ori did."

Kate knew it was rather odd that they were discussing such weighty matters when she assumed he had asked her to take this walk for very different reasons. Aaron was, however, speaking to her as to an equal, not as to a prize to be won. This did not feel like the attentions given to her by the men who had sought her hand in the last two years.

"I assume you speak of the regent," he said.

"Former regent," she corrected, flatly. "He has lost his power, thankfully, for with it he only made himself fat and weakened everything about Atalan."

"Power makes strange bedfellows, Lady Katherine," Aaron remarked, "and none stranger than those caused by a loss of power."

Kate narrowed her eyes. "What do you imply?"

He hesitated. "A few within the court are aware of the suspicions that it was Lord Kinsey who tried to have Queen Elizabeth killed at one time or another," he said, lowering his voice.

She had hoped to lead him to discuss Lord Simmons, but this was a strange turn of conversation. Curious, she prompted him, "Indeed?"

Aaron nodded, then glanced toward the garden entrance and lowered his voice. "When the prince returned from Atalan, there were questions about how Lord Simmons filled his time there. Some said he spent a great deal of his time with the former regent. Given the prince's affection for her Majesty, it was something of a surprise."

Kate held her expression as neutral as possible, as though she was carefully weighing this information. Within herself, her heart was starting to race. Upon hearing the name of the man, all of them had been focused on the possibility of Simmons conspiring with the Goa'uld to kill Elizabeth. None of them had given any thought to Kinsey, except to express surprise that their suspicions had perhaps been unfounded.

But what if Simmons had not been acting alone? What if Lady Sarah had only overheard half of the truth?

"Was anything discovered about Lord Simmons and Lord Kinsey, then?" she managed to ask with an appropriate level of concern.

Aaron shook his head, his expression growing darker. "No. Simmons weaseled free of the insinuations as usual."

That brought her up short. "What do you mean, 'as usual'?"

Aaron sighed. "Kate, understand that my father and Lord Simmons were bitter enemies for some time. When they broke publicly over the succession, my father began to hurl all manner of accusations at Lord Simmons. Nothing was ever proved, although Simmons has never won himself a great many friends at court in general. He has been suspected of a number of unpleasant things, but being in the prince's good graces has protected him."

The thought that Radek might be responsible for shielding the man who had tried to kill Elizabeth from justice made her vaguely ill. She searched hurriedly for something appropriate to say. "Your father was marquis during the succession battle?"

"Yes." Aaron looked away for a moment. "He died only last year."

"I'm sorry."

There was a short pause. Before she could compose herself, however, Aaron chuckled. "I brought you here to see one of Iolan's finest gardens, and you have lured me into a discussion of politics," he said. "Here I thought I could resist a lady's charms, even from a lady as beautiful as you."

Kate blushed then and looked away. "I do not know what you mean, sir," she said.

"Pardon me. I do not mean to accuse you of anything," he replied, drawing closer. "Only that I believe you could speak on any subject and I would listen with rapt attention."

Kate's blush deepened. She attempted to move away from him, but Aaron took her hand and kissed it. It was not merely a formal or respectful gesture, and his eyes then fixed on her lips.

She saw movement out of the corner of her eye, and a moment later a new voice intruded upon the rose garden. "Lady Katherine," a man said.

Kate turned to see Marcus in the entryway. She felt a profound surge of relief before she saw the strange look on his face. "Captain?" she asked.

"The queen requires your assistance," he told her blandly. He did not so much as acknowledge Aaron's presence. It was unusual for him to make such a slip.

The gentleman did not comment on that, though. "Thank you for your company, my lady," he said, releasing her reluctantly. "I will take my leave and let you return to the queen."

They nodded to each other, and Aaron departed. Then Marcus stepped into the garden, blocking her from leaving. Kate frowned. "Did you not say the queen needs me?"

"What were you doing?" he asked coldly, completely ignoring her question.

"Speaking with a gentleman when he asked me to," she replied, uneasy with his tone.

"What were you speaking of?" Marcus asked instead.

Kate stood up a little straighter and stared back suspiciously. "I do not answer to you, Captain," she reminded him, intending to walk past him. But he grabbed her arm and stopped her. In surprise, she tried to jerk away. "Marcus, what has gotten into you?" she demanded.

"After all my warnings, I leave for an hour," he growled, "and come back to find you letting a man touch you like that?"

Her temper flared, her own nervousness about Aaron's intentions feeding her discomfort. "It was a gesture, nothing more."

"I know what I saw, Kate. I know what it meant."

"Yes, and you're a fine one to talk about how a gentleman should touch a lady."

Marcus was taken aback by that, and in all truth Kate was surprised she'd said it. Though she had heard enough of the rumors about Marcus to guess which ones were true, she'd never actually implied to him that she knew anything about them.

"Kate," he said warningly.

"Unhand me, Captain," she replied, her own tone reminding him that she outranked him. When he had released her, she smoothed the bodice of her dress. "Now, where is the queen?"

He stiffened. "I do not know."

Kate's eyes went wide as she realized his meaning. "You lied to me because of your petty suspicions?" she said. When his jaw tightened and he said nothing in response, Kate turned away from him in disgust and hurried to find Elizabeth.

She hadn't been in this foul a mood in a long, long time.

* * *

Elizabeth returned from her afternoon ride with the prince looking somewhat subdued. She retired with her ladies to change her dress for the evening's entertainment while Lord George waited patiently. He had been occupied most of the day with conversations with various powerful members of the Iolan court. It was almost too easy to lead them into discussions of the background and habits of Lord Simmons, who seemed to be a favorite topic of gossip. But Iolan's nobility had only one question on their minds; whether their prince was soon to become the consort of the queen of Atalan.

George could not answer their questions. He had always left confidences of this sort to Daniel or Lady Catherine. Even so, he suspected only Kate and Laura knew for certain, if anyone did, what Elizabeth's heart would decide where Prince Radek was concerned. His business was the more material issue of whether a member of the Iolanian court had conspired to try and kill his charge before she could claim her throne.

"Lord George," Elizabeth greeted him, appearing from her room dressed in an elaborate costume of white and green.

"Majesty," he bowed briefly. "I'm afraid I have some unpleasant news."

Elizabeth immediately sat, looking at him expectantly. Tension filled the room, from the queen to her two ladies, to Captain Lorne, standing near the door.

"I have spoken to several members of the court during the course of last evening and today. Without asking any direct questions, I believe Lord Simmons has been absent from Iolan a number of times in the last two years, and is concealing his travels from his peers."

He could see the queen's mind racing as she fixed him with a stare. "How came you to this conclusion, my lord?"

"Lord Jarek, a viscount who resides in Kensmere, my lady." Kate turned abruptly to look at him, but she said nothing. "Jarek led me to understand that Lord Simmons claims to have been at his estates all of last summer, during the period of time, as you know, that the epidemic struck Iolan. But he was in fact out of the country."

"This was the illness which took Master McKay's brother-in-law and niece?"

"Yes. Lord Simmons' lands were among those near the locus of the illness, so it would be natural that he would be present."

Suspicion darkened the queen's eyes. "But you believe this is not so."

"Lord Jarek told me this afternoon that his lands border that of Columbia. He had stopped to speak to Simmons during the worst days of the epidemic, to ask that the marquis put aside the traditional enmity between Columbia and Kensmere and that they work together in organizing supplies. But Simmons' servant said he was not in the country at the time."

Elizabeth grew reflective. "Is it not possible that either the servant or the viscount was misinformed?"

He shifted. "It is possible, my lady. Lord Jarek may simply be assuming that Simmons would have been on his own estates during that time and never have confirmed it."

Here Laura spoke for the first time. "But the epidemic was quite serious, was it not? Surely someone would have discussed the situation with Lord Simmons in detail during those days if he had been in the country."

"That was my thought as well," George answered. "But no one can recall seeing him during that time."

"There is no love lost between Kensmere and Columbia," Kate said quietly. Captain Lorne looked at her sharply. "Lord Bosworth has told me of the great enmity between his father and Lord Simmons."

Elizabeth rose from her seat and went to the window, a habit she seemed to have carried with her from home.

"It is possible the servant misspoke, and only meant the marquis to be away from the estate," Kate added.

"Or that the viscount misunderstood," Lorne replied. "Or that he was lying."

Kate rounded on him. "Do you suggest that Lord Jarek would fabricate such a story in service to the marquis?"

"I'm not ready to doubt any possibility about the men in this court at the moment, my lady." There was clearly some tension between Kate and Captain Lorne. Laura was staring from one to the other in surprise, but George ignored it and watched the queen.

Elizabeth turned back to him. "It is not enough. We cannot make an accusation against a powerful man on so little. Not with the relationships between the nobility so tangled."

"Majesty-" he began, but she raised a hand.

"However, it is at the least a point upon which to begin. I will speak to Prince Radek tonight, after the play." Here her cheeks warmed slightly. Though George preferred not to be involved in the romantic maneuverings of the court, it was impossible to miss the implications of her seeking a private audience with the prince. "I will explain what we know, and what we do not know, and appeal for his help in gathering information."

He nodded in agreement. There was little else they could do without attracting attention, where the prince would be able to be more direct.

"Is Lord Simmons to be present at the play tonight?" Lorne asked of the room at large.

Laura nodded her head. "I believe so."

"Very well. We should ensure that he not be allowed to speak to the queen if at all possible."

Elizabeth opened her mouth to reply but Kate snapped before she could get a word out. "The queen cannot be seen snubbing a powerful member of the Iolan court, Marcus. Especially not a close ally of the prince. It would raise more questions than it could possibly answer."

"My concern is not with offending the delicate sensibilities of the nobility, my lady," Lorne shot back, his tone icy. "It is with her Majesty's personal safety, and that man, if he is who we think he is, is a direct threat."

Elizabeth stepped in before George could. "Enough, both of you!"

There was a momentary silence. George had never seen Kate lose her temper before, and Marcus Lorne, while he might err against propriety in some respects, had never behaved in such a manner in the queen's presence that he knew of. What in the world had gotten into them?

Elizabeth glanced from one to the other, as if measuring. She looked tired and on the verge of losing her own calm. "Captain, I appreciate your concern, as always, but it would not do to lock me up in a box and risk giving the wrong impression. We will have to do our best to avoid Lord Simmons discreetly, but you are not to do anything obvious or untoward, is that clear?"

The young man looked suitably chastised. Elizabeth glanced at Kate, but the lady was avoiding meeting the eyes of anyone in the room.

Elizabeth nodded to him in dismissal, and George decided that whatever mystery was at work here, he would be happier if he left Kate to Elizabeth's management. He departed, taking Captain Lorne with him.

* * *

When the door closed behind Lord George and Captain Lorne, Elizabeth shot a weary look at Kate.

The blonde woman resolutely looked away.

Elizabeth glanced at Laura, who nodded and waited until the queen had returned to the inner room.

Laura rounded on the other woman. "What is going on, Kate?" she asked in a low voice.

Her friend strived to appear calm and unaffected, but Laura could see the embarrassment in her face. "Nothing."

"You cannot be serious!" Laura burst out. "Kate, I have never seen you speak so snidely or contemptuously to anyone, much less to Marcus."

Kate faltered for a moment before admitting, "We had a disagreement."

"About?"

"Marcus was not comfortable with the amount of time I was spending with Aaron."

Laura frowned, immediately wary. "Did something happen?"

"No," Kate shook her head. "Aaron was a perfect gentleman. Marcus was simply overreacting."

Laura doubted this. "Kate, I have rarely if ever seen Marcus overreact."

Kate's cheeks turned pink. "Nothing happened." When Laura merely stared at her, Kate rolled her eyes. "Aaron was flirting with me, and I might add was being far more proper and respectable that Marcus generally is about the matter. I was allowing it, so that I could gather information from him about Simmons."

"And Marcus saw you with Aaron..."

Kate nodded. "He interrupted, most rudely, under the pretense that the queen needed me. When I learned she had not sent for me, I grew... rather angry."

"But it was just a misunderstanding," Laura began hesitantly. Kate stiffened. Laura had known both Kate and Elizabeth most of their lives. Of the three of them, Laura's temper had always been the shortest, but on rare occasions Kate got well and truly angry. When she did, she was capable of digging her heels in and remaining that way for an alarmingly long time.

"No. Marcus was being irrational and jealous when he has no right to be. It was an insult to me to assume that a pleasant conversation with an educated man could not simply be an innocent flirtation." Kate folded her arms over herself, and her voice dropped. Laura wasn't certain Kate intended her to hear her mutter, "It is not as though he has not done the same."

Having experience with Kate when she was in this frame of mind, Laura elected not to address that. She returned to the subject of young Lord Aaron. "So you and Aaron are becoming friends," she said neutrally.

Kate moved to the window where Elizabeth had just been standing. "Yes. He is well-mannered, and kind, and intelligent. He has been a good companion over the last few days."

Laura nodded. "Indeed. He is also very handsome."

Kate shrugged noncommittally.

"And he is very charming and quite the flirt." Laura steeled herself. Kate was not going to appreciate the insinuation she was about to make. "He is almost the noble-born version of Marcus Lorne."

Kate whirled around. "That's not true! That is not-" She drew in a breath. "I am not thinking of Aaron in those terms, Laura."

Laura crossed her arms. "No, but are you sure Marcus isn't? For him to see you receiving the attentions of a man who has his every charm and none of the faults..."

"Being common-born isn't a fault," Kate interrupted. "I've never cared about Marcus' station in life. You know that."

"I do," Laura said quietly. "But you've told me before that Marcus isn't nearly as sanguine about the differences in rank between you as you claim to be."

A flicker of distress crossed Kate's face and Laura decided to try to take advantage of it.

"Kate, you need to speak to Marcus and set this right," Laura said persuasively, feeling at the same time how unequal she was to the task of mediating a lover's quarrel. "Don't let this unpleasantness between you drag on."

But Kate drew herself up. "I have done nothing wrong. Marcus owes me an apology, which he can make in his own time."

She marched into the other room to attend to Elizabeth. Laura wanted to kick something. There was nothing that would move Kate from her position other than a full apology from Marcus, and if his earlier behavior was any indication, no apology would be forthcoming from the captain any time soon.

* * *

Elizabeth was quiet during her dinner with Iolan's royal family, more than willing to let Kate and Laura engage the prince and his sister in a lively discussion which seemed to distract them from her state. Indeed, Kate was unusually animated. It was a worrying sign, but Elizabeth's mind was preoccupied with other concerns. Talking to Kate would have to wait until evening.

When they walked at the small theatre within the palace, she wished it would not be rude to her hosts to arrive on Lord George's arm and sit with him throughout the play. It would have been less awkward than sitting next to Radek, who kept giving her concerned looks all through the performance.

Her discomfort was two-fold. On one side was the reluctance to tell Radek that they suspected one of his supporters of trying to kill her. This would have been worrisome enough without other stresses. But in addition to this news was a deep and lingering frustration over what had transpired that afternoon. She could not hold Radek's gaze for very long. When their eyes did meet, she would blush, and not out of modesty.

Everyone in two countries was aware of the reason for his invitation, and Elizabeth was well aware of the implications in coming to Iolan before visiting any place within her own realm. But Radek had never pushed her, not in the whole of their acquaintance. He had never presumed anything. Nothing was a given to him, even though they both knew that he was likely the only suitor she would ever have who would meet no opposition in her college of lords or with his own nobility. He was charming and sensible, suitable in every way to be her husband.

For the last few months, Elizabeth had tried to let herself be guided by Daniel's advice, that she leave her heart open to the idea of marrying Radek. Until the day of Laura's wedding, she thought she had.

Radek's kiss had been sweet and soft. Like a true gentleman, he had asked her permission before kissing her. She'd been aware for a long time that he wanted her as his wife, and the kiss had confirmed it. She could feel his desire in his touch, and that knowledge had sent a delicious nervousness through her. When they'd been startled out of it, a strange sort of vexation had overtaken her, for she suspected that there would be little in the world sweeter than letting herself be wooed by this man who was so clearly in love with her.

Even though she was not in love with him.

John had not asked her permission to kiss her. He hadn't even given her warning. Yet it was that kiss, passionate and bold, that filled her imagination. A moment in a stable had ripped her out of her blissful denial about her feelings for John. From him she didn't want mere friendship. She wanted his love, because he had hers in abundance.

But emotions aside, John was gone. He was now a powerful man in a foreign country that was under invasion. The likelihood of his returning to her was slim and growing more remote with every passing day. The practical side of her mind pointed out, repeatedly, that she needed to look at the situation realistically. If she rejected Radek, who was so dear to her already and so well suited to her and accepted by everyone around them, because of her feelings for a man whom she might easily never set eyes on again, then where would that leave her?

But how could she marry Radek, knowing her heart was with someone else? She could not be so unfair to him.

With her discontent mounting, it was tempting to forget the misgivings she had expressed to Daniel before winter had set in. It was tempting to try to fool herself into believing that had she not followed John out of the wedding feast, she would not have realized that she was in love with him. In her heart she knew that was not the case, however, and the conflict within her grew with every day she spent in Iolan. Adding to her discomfort was Lord George's information about Simmons, and her anger at that was mixing with the guilt and frustration until she didn't know what she felt about any specific thing anymore.

Unfortunately, Radek knew her well enough that he noticed her turmoil right away.

When the play was over, she applauded with more enthusiasm than she felt, trying to forestall the inevitable conversations, either about the kiss that afternoon or about Simmons. But as they were leaving, he quietly asked, "Elizabeth, what is the matter?"

She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. "Radek, I need to speak with you privately."

He nodded, looking concerned, and he led them off to his private office. His guards stayed outside, but Captain Lorne followed them in. Radek looked at Elizabeth in confusion. "What I have to say concerns him, in part," Elizabeth said.

Radek was taken aback, as he'd clearly been expecting a different conversation. He closed the door anyway.

She started to pace. "Some months ago..." she began, but shook her head. "No, I must start further back than that. Ten years ago, not long after my father's death, a small party of Goa'uld invaded western Atalan, attacking the Viscount of Berwynn as he traveled back to his home with his wife and daughter. Most of the party was brutally killed, but his daughter Sarah, who was then sixteen, was captured. A Goa'uld lord took her as his wife.

"Some months ago she escaped with news that the Goa'uld had raised an army for invasion, and she came back to Atalan to warn us. The army, as you know, invaded Caldora not long after. But that was not the only information she had."

Radek's eyes had widened as he listened to her tale. "What information?" he asked.

"Two of the Goa'uld, Anubis and Osiris, had been conspiring to kill me and take my country for their own. Lady Sarah had the name of their coconspirator." Elizabeth took a deep breath. "His name was Lord Simmons, Radek."

There was a long, painful pause. She saw a flash of anger on Radek's face before he turned away from her. "No," he said. "You must be mistaken. I cannot believe this of him."

"Lord George has been asking questions of your own nobles," Elizabeth said gently. "It seems that Simmons has been absent from court and his home more than once recently, and no one can make an account for his whereabouts."

"Which nobles said this?" Radek demanded.

Elizabeth braced herself. "A viscount, from the province of Kensmere."

Radek shook his head. "Elizabeth-" he began but she raised a hand.

"I know, Radek. I'm aware that there is no love lost between Kensmere and Columbia."

"It goes a great deal deeper than that," Radek shot back. "Thomas, Aaron's father, he and Frank loathed one another for years. Time and again Thomas would bring accusations against Frank that had no basis. Nothing has ever been proven against him."

Elizabeth felt her own temper beginning to slip. She had expected Radek to be more helpful than this. "And the constant stream of accusations never caused you to wonder if perhaps there wasn't some layer of truth to them? Or are such casual allegations a part of daily life in the Iolan court?"

He glared. "How many times has someone accused Daniel of treason, Elizabeth?" he asked witheringly.

Elizabeth bit her lip, a rare display of public weakness. His words had hit a vulnerable place. This was a side of Radek she had never seen before. "That is not the same, and you know it."

Radek subsided, looking uncomfortable. Elizabeth decided to try another tack. "Did you pay any attention to what Simmons did while you were in Atalan?" Kate had told her, privately, what Aaron had said regarding Simmons and Kinsey's association.

"Yes," he said, looking irritated again. "Rather, I heard, at length, what was said when we returned. Frank apparently spent some part of his time with Lord Robert Kinsey." Behind her, Captain Lorne jolted visibly at this news, as Kate had not made anyone but Elizabeth aware of Aaron's information.

Radek stepped closer to her, taking her hand. "Elizabeth, I know full well your feelings about Kinsey. I know there are many who suspect he was behind what nearly happened to you, and believe me, I would have no regrets if you discovered proof of that and he was justly punished. But he was the regent of your country for ten years. It is not unreasonable for Frank to have spoken to him about a variety of subjects, all innocently."

"We have both seen what power can do to men, Radek."

"What do you want from me?" he snapped. "Do you want me to arrest him? Interrogate him? I have not the authority to do that, and my sister will certainly not make such a move on so little. The rumor-mongering of idle men is not enough to convict someone who has been a friend to me for a decade!"

"Do you really know what happened on the morning of my coronation, Radek?" She was gambling heavily, on his own feelings, on her persuasive powers and the influence his affection for her might have. But it seemed she had little choice. She looked into his eyes. His expression was guarded. "I was walking the grounds of my own palace when the attack came. Captain Sumner took the arrow that was meant for me. I was borne away with his blood spattered over me. It took Kate and Laura so much scrubbing to cleanse his blood from my hands in time for the ceremony that my skin was raw.

"But for a few seconds of warning, it would have been my blood, Radek."

His face was gray and Elizabeth felt a pang of guilt that she was manipulating him in this fashion. She steadied herself. The memories of that morning would never lose their awful power in her own mind. "Many of my own countrymen suspect it was Kinsey. Now I have been told differently, by someone who has no knowledge of Iolan or her politics and no discernable reason to lie, that Simmons was involved, possibly responsible. You must understand that I cannot simply let this go."

Radek considered that for a moment. "If either Frank or Lord Kinsey were responsible, it would benefit each of them to try to shift blame to the other," he said slowly.

"Help us," Elizabeth said earnestly. "Help us investigate this. For your sake, I hope I am mistaken. Perhaps we might even uncover proof that Kinsey is using Simmons for his own ends." She didn't truly believe that, but if it would convince him, she was willing to acknowledge the possibility. "But we will not know for certain until the truth is uncovered, and I cannot ignore what I have been told. Not when my life is still at risk."

Radek glanced at Lorne, who was standing near the entrance. "I would do nothing to endanger you, Majesty," he said formally. He looked hurt now, for any number of reasons, and Elizabeth's heart ached to see it. "I will do what I can."

Elizabeth nodded. "Thank you, Prince."

She turned to go, but he stopped her. "Elizabeth, please," he said quietly.

She looked at him, but not for long. "I am weary, Radek," she replied. "Please, convey my apologies to the queen mother. I must retire for the evening."

He did not insist that she hear him out, as she'd half-expected. It was a relief not to have to talk about their afternoon ride just yet. She already had another restless night ahead of her.


	4. Alliances (4/5)

  
Radek was unsure who was happier, himself or his nephew, when Radek called an end to morning lessons. Lukas had been fidgeting and restless through the whole period. All the excitement in the court had the boy more high-strung than usual, and Radek himself had gotten almost no sleep the night before. Elizabeth's words had haunted him through the late hours.

_Lady Sarah had the name of their coconspirator. His name was Lord Simmons, Radek._

He didn't want to believe it. Frank Simmons had been an ally to him for years. Granted he was a little ruthless, perhaps even cold, but that likely came as a result of what he had gone through for Radek's sake.

That, Radek thought, was likely Elizabeth's point. Embattled and embittered, Simmons might actually have the motive to do what Elizabeth suspected him of. Still, it was horrible to contemplate that a man he had trusted and held in his confidence could have been in league with Goa'uld warlords to murder Elizabeth before she could take her throne. If it was true… _he_ had brought Simmons to Atalan for the coronation. He could have had a hand in her death, however unwitting.

The very idea made Radek feel ill.

He had acknowledged to himself early this morning that Elizabeth was right. They couldn't take the chance in not investigating Frank's conduct and movements. This was not normal court politics at play, not anymore.

"Highness?" Lady Jean watched him uncertainly. Normally Radek was grateful for her aid in tutoring Lukas. Jeannie knew more of Iolan's literature than he did and she had a deft hand with children that Radek himself lacked.

Right now, though, he sighed. "Yes?"

"Are you all right?" she asked abruptly. She flushed as he stared at her in surprise. "Forgive me, my lord, I do not mean to be so forward. I couldn't help noticing you look unwell."

Her concern was touching. Radek managed to call up a weak smile. "I thank you, my lady, but I am not unwell. Just... preoccupied."

"May I be so bold as to ask with what?"

He leaned against the desk, toying with the book in his hands. He saw nothing in her expression but honest curiosity. There were so few people within the court who could remain outside of the tangles of intrigue, so few whom he felt he could trust. He was distressed enough that after a moment, he blurted out everything Elizabeth had told him.

Jeannie paled as he spoke. "This doesn't seem possible," she said at last. "Iolan and Atalan have been bound together through ties of trade and family for generations. It makes no sense that someone from our nation would actively seek her Majesty's death."

"It's possible that these Goa'uld promised lands and power in Atalan to anyone who helped them conquer it," Radek said. "And it would be a tempting prize. For all of the misfortune the country has suffered in recent decades, Atalan is still a land rich in resources." He paused. "Someone was desperate to kill Elizabeth before her coronation, and nearly succeeded. Only intervention by a foreigner and the sacrifice of Captain Sumner preserved her life that day."

"My brother has told me the story. A man visiting the court was able to strike down the assailant before he could succeed."

Radek folded his lips together. Rumors had been swirling about the man Elizabeth had knighted at the banquet following the coronation. He had been born in Caldora, a nation which had not been a close ally of either Atalan or Iolan in centuries. There were other rumors, suggesting that the queen had knighted the foreigner for other reasons than his bravery, but Radek dismissed them as malignant gossip. Knowing her as he did, he could not imagine Elizabeth taking a lover to begin with, much less flaunting him in that style before her own court.

"Highness?" she said hesitantly. "Is it not possible that the Goa'uld offered power somewhere other than Atalan?"

Radek was reminded, once again, that this lady had a shrewder mind than most of the men in Iolan. "You are thinking it would make more sense for a traitor to target someone in his own country?"

She looked away, but not before he saw a hint of emotion in her face. "Yes, my lord."

Any number of other nobles had suggested such things about Frank Simmons before, but Jeannie was in no position to gain anything by an accusation. He sobered. "Do you have any reason to suspect Lord Simmons?"

She refused to meet his eyes. When she shook her head, Radek was certain she was concealing something. He stepped closer. "Jeannie, what is it?"

"Nothing, my lord."

Nothing conclusive, he thought to himself. She didn't trust Simmons either. Jeannie might not have been in court long, but she was an incredibly intelligent woman and a keen observer. He'd learned months ago that she was better than he was at reading people.

What exactly had his gratitude blinded him to?

She composed herself. "May I ask what your Highness intends to do?"

"I intend to comply with a lady's wishes," he said firmly. "It is high time someone began to ask questions."

* * *

  
The queen's chambers were crowded as the servants began to pack up Elizabeth's things. The visit was almost over. A farewell concert was planned for tonight, and an expectant air permeated the palace. Nothing had been announced, after all, regarding an engagement between the queen and the prince.

Kate had not solicited Elizabeth's thoughts on the matter. They had lain side by side, both of them awake for most of the night, but Kate feared opening the door to any confidences. Elizabeth would want to know what was going on between her and Marcus, and Kate had no desire to speak of it.

Kate ignored the multiple queries being directed at her by different servants and left supervising the packing to Laura.

Elizabeth had turned their investigation over to Radek. The rest of them had accepted this, but Kate didn't think she was alone in her doubts about the results. The prince would ask questions, but how willing would he be to pursue the truth? And once Elizabeth was gone from Iolan, and no longer there to remind Radek of the seriousness of the situation, how diligent would he be? Given the tangled threads of alliances and enemies in the court, it was all too easy to envision this entire question being swept aside. Simmons would discard it as a fabrication of his enemies, and he would remain free.

Kate hated the thought of Elizabeth returning home under the shadow of Simmons' continued threat to her safety. Something had to be done.

Kate decided to approach the one ally she had left. Aaron smiled at her with genuine happiness when she entered his private offices. "Kate! I had hoped to see you before your departure tomorrow."

"Aaron," she gathered herself. "I need to speak to you on a rather sensitive matter."

He blinked, but closed the door and sat on the edge of his desk, regarding her with good-humored seriousness. It irked her. "What can I do for you, my lady?"

"You spoke to me yesterday of Lord Simmons, and the rumors about his friendship with Lord Robert Kinsey. Is there any proof that you know of regarding this association?"

Aaron looked somewhat taken aback. "No, Kate. Members of the prince's entourage reported that Simmons spent time with the regent, but they could hardly testify as to what the two men were speaking of."

Kate nodded, her fingers tightly laced together before her. "Has anyone examined Lord Simmons' personal effects? Is it known whether he corresponds with Kinsey?"

"You are asking me if someone has gone through his things?" Aaron said incredulously. "Of course not! Kate, that would be an insult of the highest order!"

She glared in exasperation. "I'm not so concerned with insulting people just now, Aaron."

"What on earth has gotten into your head, Kate? What do you suspect Simmons of that you would violate his privacy and risk such an embarrassment?"

She was unwilling to divulge Lady Sarah's intelligence to him just yet. "You told me you knew of the rumors regarding Kinsey's role in the assassination attempt on the queen," she said hesitantly.

Aaron relaxed a little. "Kate," he said, shaking his head with a smile. "Perhaps it was wrong of me to tell you of my father's paranoid threats. I can see they have mingled with the rumors from your own home. This is the nature of politics, my lady. It amuses people to invent intrigues to cover the more petty aspects of their lives."

His condescension was infuriating. "Intrigues?" she all but yelled. "Do you think this is some sort of game?" Aaron stared at her somewhat agape and his words the day of Elizabeth's speech came back to her. _"Your queen's young life seems to have been unusually fraught with peril."_ He had been smiling when he said that.

He didn't understand. Looking at him, young and foolish and completely untouched by real danger, Kate realized he could not possibly understand this.

He was, after all, not from Atalan.

"Forgive me, my lord." She curtsied to him. "I take my leave of you, and wish you every happiness in the future."

She turned and left. She heard Aaron calling after her but she didn't look back.

* * *

  
Jeannie hurried down the corridor, her mind still spinning from the prince's confidences. She had promised him her discretion in the matter, but she had not promised to stay still.

Prince Radek had been a good friend to her and her brother for some time. When Rodney's ideas had first drawn them to the notice of the old king, a strange camaraderie had sprung up between her brother and the prince. And when Jeannie had lost her husband, her child, and her home in nearly one fell swoop, the prince had been the one to secure her position in the court and promise Rodney that she would have a place there for as long as necessary.

Her husband had been noble-born but not wealthy, and upon his death she was left with very little to her own name. Without her brother, there had been a very real danger that she would have been left destitute, without home or shelter. Some of the other women in court looked down on her for working for the royal family, but Jeannie was proud of being part of the education of the future king. She also suspected young Lukas did not get much in the way of motherly attention except from her. It was no substitute for her own little daughter, but it was a comfort nonetheless.

Now the prince was upset and Jeannie was going to find a way to help. It was the least she could do, after everything he had done for her. Though she did admit to herself, had he named anyone in court other than Lord Simmons, she probably wouldn't be so eager to involve herself in this intrigue.

Her husband's lands had been within the province of Columbia. Some years earlier, she had chanced to overhear Lord Simmons speaking with several gentlemen about the state of the monarchy. Jeannie clearly recalled Simmons speaking contemptuously of Prince Radek, calling him "soft" and "easily manipulated." None of the men knew she had heard the conversation, and other than it being disrespectful, she hadn't thought on it until she came to court. When she saw Lord Simmons speaking to the prince as a trusted ally, treated with great courtesy and respect, her blood had chilled.

The McKay clan had their faults, many of which had concentrated in her brother, but duplicity was not among them. Deceit of any kind was abhorrent to Jeannie. And now, she had no real difficulty believing that Lord Simmons could be collaborating with a known enemy. But knowing what she did of his character, she suspected the prize offered to him for his betrayal had nothing to do with power in Atalan.

The prince intended to investigate Simmons himself, but Jeannie was determined not to sit idly by if there was anything she could do to help her benefactor, or rid her country of a man who would sell his loyalty to the highest bidder.

* * *

  
During the morning, the queen began showing signs that she was developing a cold. It was probably nothing serious, but with the journey to Langford beginning the next day, Marcus called for Carson, who joined the royal party for dinner and then told Elizabeth afterward that she needed to rest in the afternoon.

Surprisingly, the queen had not fought him on the matter. In fact, she'd gone to bed before anyone had actually suggested that she do so. Prince Radek had come looking for her after luncheon but he was politely told the queen was not available, leaving Marcus to wonder at what the lady's motives were, precisely. Ordinarily, he would have asked Kate for her insights, but that was not possible right now.

Having posted guards at the entrance to the queen's chambers, Marcus retreated to the room he'd been occupying for the last three weeks. The trip had been exhausting for him as well, and the thought of having the afternoon to himself was a pleasant one, even though he was sure he would spend it worrying about Lord Simmons and the investigation and their utter lack of progress on the matter. He hated the thought of leaving Iolan with this unresolved and hanging over her Majesty's head.

But when he entered his chamber, there was someone there already.

Kate.

Marcus closed the door swiftly when he saw her standing in the middle of his room. On the rare occasions that she had been in his chambers in Atlantis, she had been there with a message from the queen. This was obviously not the case now. Her face had almost no color, and she was wringing her hands.

"My lady," he said neutrally, remaining near the door.

After an awkward moment, Kate nodded to him. "Captain, I came to ask what you plan to do toward apprehending Lord Simmons and questioning him."

The statement made him start. Of all the things Kate could have come into his room for, that was the last thing he'd expected. He would have guessed that she would apologize for her part in their argument sooner than broaching that topic with him. "The investigation is in Prince Radek's hands now," he told her. "There is little else I can do."

Marcus caught the look of disappointment on her face before she glanced away. "You would let him walk free?" she asked.

"I would abide by the law," he replied, feeling his temper beginning to rise as he walked toward her slowly. Kate had always inspired greater depth of emotion in him, but it was unnerving now to know just how much she incited anger when they were at odds.

She stepped toward him as well. "Even if the law is inadequate here?"

"The law is never inadequate," he snapped. "You are Atalanian, Kate. I know you are fiercely loyal to the queen, but even she would not have you give up your faith in justice."

"Would you hesitate to do this at home, Marcus?" she retorted. By then they were well within reach of each other. "Lord Simmons will be at the concert tonight. You could order one of your men to search his chambers–"

"Kate!" Marcus couldn't help staring at her in shock. "What has gotten into you?"

"I was at her side when she was poisoned!" she exclaimed. "I scrubbed Captain Sumner's blood off her hands!"

"And I nearly died to save her life!" he bellowed, and then took a deep breath to calm himself. "Kate, I would dishonor myself and my office by doing what you suggest."

"Are you more concerned with your honor than with the truth?" she spat.

His fists clenched, but Kate looked away, seeming to realize she had gone too far. A hurt look crept onto her lovely features, displacing some of her anger. "Do you not trust me, Marcus?" she asked.

Staring into her eyes, Marcus had no idea what to say. The answer he should have given was obvious, but she was not just asking about this argument. In the last several days, he had behaved like a jealous husband concerning her interaction with Aaron of Kensmere. Yet for all he had tried to tell himself that he did not suspect her of any sort of infidelity, he could not tell her now that he trusted her.

He reached out and brushed his fingers against her cheek, hoping to soothe her. But she jerked back from him. "You will not even give me the courtesy of an answer, sir?" she said. "How many times have I entrusted you with my life and my honor? Is this how you repay me?"

"Have you any idea what it has been like for me these last few weeks, watching you behave with Lord Bosworth as you do with me?" he snapped. "Watching you flirt with him and receive his attentions without any hesitation?"

"Marcus, it is not like that!"

"You're right, it isn't," he replied, his voice growing cold. "He may court you openly. I do not have that option."

"Marcus," Kate asked impatiently, "has it never occurred to you that I have my reasons for speaking with him?"

"Do not use the queen as your excuse," Marcus said, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

He watched as she removed all trace of emotion from her expression. "Do you have anything more to say to me, sir, aside from accusations to level?" she asked.

Marcus walked away, toward his desk. "I'm sure you have work to attend to."

He didn't watch her go, but he flinched when the door slammed shut behind her.

* * *

  
The concert on the final night of Elizabeth's visit was something Kate normally would have been interested in – a program of music with a singer performing traditional ballads of Iolan, with accompaniment by a new instrument called a harpsichord. But Kate begged Elizabeth to stay behind, claiming to have a headache. The queen had relented, though not easily, probably thinking that Kate wanted to have some time alone. The trip had been difficult on everyone.

This, however, was not the case. Lord Simmons was to attend the concert, and it might be the only time anyone would have to investigate his chambers. The men around Elizabeth would never do something so invasive without permission from their hosts. And she could not turn to Aaron or any of the other men in Iolan for help.

It fell to her, then, to do what had to be done.

She intended to wait half an hour to make sure the others were well and truly gone, and that Simmons was not there either. However, before a quarter of an hour had passed, there was a soft knock at the door.

Kate answered it and found Jeannie Miller on the other side. She nodded to the woman and said, "I'm afraid the others have all left for the evening, Lady Miller."

The lady cast her gaze about quickly and bit the inside of her lip. "I know," she said softly. "When I saw you were not with them, I hoped to speak with you."

Mystified, Kate allowed her in. She'd had a few conversations with the woman during her time in Iolan, but their paths had not often crossed. "Can I help you in some way?" Kate asked as she closed the door behind them.

Jeannie looked her in the eye. "Prince Radek has spoken to me of what your queen told him last night," she said.

Kate's eyes widened. "What do you mean?" she asked, surprised that Radek had discussed this with anyone aside from possibly informing his sister.

"Lady Katherine, I have no high opinion of Lord Simmons," Jeannie replied. "The investigation conducted by your people has uncovered the truth, or the beginnings of it. There have been many times when no one could account for his whereabouts. Moreover, at court he seems to be the greatest ally Prince Radek could ever have, but away from here he speaks of the prince as weak and soft-minded."

"Are you saying you believe him to be a traitor?" Kate asked, lowering her voice.

"I believe him to be duplicitous and self-serving," Jeannie said. "I believe him capable of treachery, for I do not believe he has love for country or crown."

Kate turned away, thinking of the information Lord George had brought to them the previous evening. "During the epidemic in his lands last year," she began slowly, looking at Jeannie apologetically. "Some who were here in court believed him to have been in his home to deal with the situation, but one report suggested he was somewhere else entirely."

"He was," she replied. "As you know, my husband and daughter both died in that sickness. Our lands were within Simmons' rule. The gentleman was nowhere to be found within the province until well after the worst of it was over." Jeannie's voice shook a little as she spoke of this, and Kate had a flash of sympathy for her. But the lady's eyes were filled with disgust.

Kate looked down at the table, her hands on the back of a chair, thinking rapidly. This would be far easier if she had someone with her she could trust. She took a deep breath. "Lady Miller, I stayed back from the concert that I might enter Lord Simmons' chambers to find some evidence of foul play," she said, hoping her instincts were not wrong.

"And I came here to ask you to join me in such a quest," Jeannie replied. Kate blew out a sigh in relief. "He has left the palace. If we hurry–"

"He is attending the concert," Kate said. "But yes, we should hurry."

* * *

  
When Elizabeth stepped out of her chambers with only Laura attending her, Captain Lorne gave her a strange look. "Lady Katherine is unwell this evening. She will not be joining us," she informed him. While that did not stop his look of concern directed at the door, he did not ask any further questions.

Radek was waiting for them. He had a smile for her and for those who accompanied her, but it seemed perfunctory rather than genuine. It had been more than a day since he had kissed her, and they still had not talked about it or the unfinished business between them.

Time was running short. She was leaving tomorrow and something had to be settled before then, Elizabeth knew. She only wished she had some sort of answer within herself, so that when Radek approached her, as she knew he would, she would be ready.

Elizabeth was able to smile at him, however, and take his arm as he led her to the waiting coach. He helped her into it and then Laura before getting in himself, followed by Marcus. The queen mother and some of her attendants were getting into the coach before them while Lord George took his place with a few members of Iolan's court in the coach behind, and then they all started off.

The concert hall was a brightly-lit marble building, which Radek explained had been built by his father shortly before his death. Atalan had her beauties and treasures, but nothing quite like this, a place built solely for the study and performance of music and theatre. It sat right on the sea, a long balcony running along the coastal side of it where one could stand and watch the ships coming into port during the day or watch the gentle roll of the sea under the moonlight. Within the building itself were many rooms for rehearsal and storage and some even to serve as living spaces for students who were far away from their homes. And then there were the stages, ranging from intimate conservatories to grand, ornate halls. This performance was in the latter.

The music was fine, and the new instrument accompanying the young singer was pleasant to the ear, though a little strange at first. Yet it did not engross Elizabeth as it should have. She had not seen Simmons when they entered. Throughout the first several songs she kept glancing about furtively, trying to spot him.

Finally, she decided he was not there. In the next heartbeat, a cold fear struck her. Kate had stayed behind, which was quite unusual to begin with. What if, in her frustration, she had decided to take matters into her own hands? Though usually the model of propriety, every so often Kate could be unspeakably reckless, especially when she felt Elizabeth was in some sort of peril.

Trying to cover her frantic fear, Elizabeth beckoned Lorne over. While the singer and his accompanist discussed something briefly, he whispered to her, "What is the matter, my lady?"

"Simmons is not here," she replied in kind. "And Kate is at the palace."

She left the rest unspoken, but given how he paled, he knew exactly what she was implying. "My lady," he began, signaling something to Stackhouse.

"Go," she mouthed, and turned back to the stage as Marcus fled.

* * *

  
Jeannie was glad to have assistance in this matter, but it did not stop her heart from racing.

Simmons had left the door to his chamber unlocked, so she and Katherine slipped in easily. Otherwise this admittedly insane expedition would have ended almost before it began.

Jeannie was at the ready with the excuse she had prepared about seeking books for use in the young prince's lessons. A very quick search of the antechamber and the room attached had confirmed that everyone was gone, so Katherine headed to his desk and a trunk next to it while Jeannie stood watch, listening for approaching footsteps at the door to the corridor. They'd left it just slightly ajar so they could hear better. It was much slower work than either of them would have liked.

"What would induce a man to do this?" Katherine asked quietly as she scanned a letter.

"Have you found something?" Jeannie asked immediately.

Katherine shook her head. "No, this is just a report from his steward," she said. "But ever since we met Lord Simmons, I have wondered what might have pushed him to turn his allegiance to the Goa'uld."

"I cannot say with certainty," Jeannie replied. "But he is a man who loves importance. I believe he has grown bitter since the succession battle, and bitterness could easily sway a man who was not that attached to his country to begin with."

Lady Katherine sighed as she straightened a stack of letters and pushed them back in place. "There's nothing here," she said. "Is there anywhere else he might hide correspondence?"

"Among his trunks in his bedchamber," Jeannie said. She'd hoped it would not come to that, for he likely had many trunks to search through, and if they were caught there was no excuse in the world that could hope to explain their presence.

But Katherine backed away from the desk. "Wait," she said. "There's something below."

She crouched down to retrieve a small box, ornately carved. It took her only a few moments to find the key and lift the lid. Within were more letters. Katherine's hand hovered over them and she looked at the door. Jeannie turned and strained her hearing as the other woman delved into the letter box.

She skimmed letter after letter, her expression conveying a rising frustration and anger. "Lady Katherine?" Jeannie prompted.

"Correspondence with Goa'uld lords whom Lady Sarah already implicated in conspiring to kill the queen," Katherine explained. She paused over two letters. "Here he is berated for some failure, and the letter is dated shortly after Elizabeth's coronation. But nothing specific is said."

Jeannie groaned. "I suppose it was ridiculous to hope they would be so foolish as to speak openly about such things."

"Indeed," Katherine said, her forehead wrinkling. "There is not enough here to prove anything-"

Jeannie heard footsteps and cut her off. "Shh! Someone's coming!" she whispered fiercely.

Katherine froze for a moment, but then shoved most of the letters into the box again and closed the lid.

Before either of them could do more, the door swung open. Jeannie desperately tried to calm herself so her excuse for being in there would sound sincere. But the man who entered was not Simmons, nor anyone who was associated with him. "Rodney!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

"I could ask the same of you!" he said, closing the door behind him. "I saw the door open when I knew Simmons and all his people were gone. What are you doing in here?"

"Keep your voice down!" Jeannie hissed.

"Searching for proof of his treachery," Katherine replied coldly. Rodney spun around. He clearly hadn't seen the other woman yet.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded, but quietly.

"Rodney, we've found correspondence between Simmons and the Goa'uld," Jeannie told him, gesturing at the wooden box still sitting on the desk.

"What?"

Katherine turned back to the box and removed the letters. She shoved the first one into Rodney's hands. Jeannie returned to the door to keep listening.

"There is nothing specific in these letters," Rodney observed after a few moments.

"Yes, we know that-" Jeannie said but stopped at the look on Katherine's face.

Rodney touched Katherine's arm. "Kate?"

Her face had gone white. "This letter is a demand from Osiris for information."

"About what?" Rodney whispered.

Kate raised her wide eyes to him. "Caldora's readiness for war. He forwarded them intelligence–" She flipped to the next letter. "Simmons sent spies into Caldora who reported back on conditions within the country, how well they were prepared for an invasion."

Jeannie gasped. No one had mentioned Caldora but if Simmons was working on behalf of the Goa'uld, it was hardly surprising that they would have employed him for such a thing. No one would have looked for such a danger from Iolan.

Rodney's jaw dropped for a moment, but he steadied himself. "We have to get out of here," he said. "Someone could find us at any moment." He took Katherine's arm as if to lead her from the room but she resisted.

"Wait. Rodney, find a member of the royal guard. Of either guard," Katherine added, anticipating his question. "Lady Miller and I have to set the room to rights, in case someone returns."

"One of you should go," he protested. "The two of you shouldn't be alone in here."

"No, Rodney, you don't know where anything goes," Jeannie told him, urging him towards the door. Katherine was already rearranging things as she'd found them. "Trust us. Find help. We'll leave as soon as we can."

Reluctantly, he nodded and left. With the door closed behind him, Jeannie hurried to the desk, and the two women tried frantically to replace things as they'd been.

* * *

  
Having forcibly acquired a horse, Marcus rode hard through the streets of the capital, desperate to reach the palace and not particularly caring how much of a disruption he caused along the cobblestone streets. Kate was an intelligent woman, but he knew her too well to think she would stay away from Simmons when the queen was at risk.

He could not entirely blame her. The temptation to break into the man's chambers and search everything had been strong for him as well. Given that she had suggested such a thing to him already...

He had to admire the daring of it. Even as he vowed to strangle her if she'd gotten herself hurt.

After he passed through the palace gates, he jumped off his horse and addressed the guardsmen of Iolan keeping their posts in the grand foyer. His own men were either with the queen or keeping watch over the queen's chambers within the palace. "Lieutenant, I need to borrow your men," he said to the Iolanian commanding the guard here. "I believe one of Queen Elizabeth's attendants may be in danger."

The man looked startled, but he nodded. "Yes, of course," the lieutenant replied, and he ordered a few of his men to join Marcus. Unfortunately, Marcus had no idea where Kate was, precisely. He would guess she had gone to search Simmons' quarters, but he could not be sure.

He was about to take his contingent of guards up to the corridor housing the noblemen when he saw Lord Aaron coming from that wing. Jealousy choked him for a heartbeat, but he would have begged of the devil himself for Kate's sake if he had to.

"My lord!" he called, catching the man's attention.

Aaron turned. "Captain?" he replied, his eyes cool.

"Have you seen Lady Katherine?" Marcus asked without preamble.

"Not since this afternoon," Aaron said, shaking his head. "Is something the matter?"

"I believe she may have placed herself in danger," Marcus replied shortly.

Aaron looked a little alarmed. "This is regarding her suspicions about Lord Simmons? She spoke to me of it this afternoon. I told her she was being hysterical-"

Marcus gritted his teeth. This man was an even bigger fool than Marcus had thought. "Just tell me where Lord Simmons' rooms are?"

Before Aaron could answer, another figure came running into the foyer from another direction. "Captain!" Rodney McKay called. He was out of breath by the time he reached them.

"McKay, have you seen Kate?" Marcus demanded.

McKay nodded. "She's in Simmons' chambers with my sister," he said, pointing down the corridor he had just run from. "They found proof."

Marcus listened no longer. He simply ran.

* * *

  
Kate's hands were shaking as she and Jeannie got the rest of the papers in order. "The box," Jeannie said, pointing at the small wooden box she'd found the letters in.

"I'm taking that with us," Kate replied, picking it up. "I think we have done the most we can."

Jeannie nodded, and the two of them headed to the door. But before they could leave, the door opened again. Kate expected it to be Rodney returned with guards.

Instead, it was Lord Simmons.

Kate gasped, swiftly hiding the box behind her back. Simmons looked between the two of them. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm so sorry, my lord," Jeannie answered as Kate retreated. She struggled to steady herself. "I... I wished to speak to you regarding a few books I wanted to use for the prince's studies."

Simmons clearly didn't believe her, and given Jeannie's anxiety Kate wasn't surprised. He glanced down Kate's figure. He stepped into the room and slammed the door shut, locking it. "What are you hiding?"

Kate did not answer, simply staring at him and frantically trying to think of a way to get out of the room. But Simmons crossed the distance between them in two strides and jerked her arm. The box slipped out of her hand and fell to the floor with a thud. He looked down at it and then at her. At first there was a hint of fear in his eyes, but then it transformed into cold anger. "How dare you," he said.

"I know what you have done," Kate replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "You sold yourself to the Goa'uld and tried to murder my queen."

He roared in anger and flung her aside. Kate slammed into a table and sank down to the floor. Simmons picked up the box and threw it into the fireplace. It hit the brick wall and the wood shattered. As the flames lapped up its contents, Jeannie hurried over to Kate's side. Simmons watched the fire for a moment, and then turned his attention to them.

"I always thought you were smarter than this, Lady Miller," he said. Kate reached up slowly, gripping the tabletop. "But this was very foolish."

He lunged then and grabbed Kate by the throat, pulling her up. She let out a scream, partly from the pain and partly to attract attention. But his fingers tightened, cutting off her breath, and he wrapped his other arm around her waist, holding her still no matter how much she struggled. "If you think I would not hesitate to kill your queen," he said into her ear, "what makes you think I would hesitate to kill you as well?"


	5. Alliances (5/5)

  
There had been no word from the palace. Elizabeth could not focus on the concert. Every moment stretched her nerves until finally, at the end of a song, she stood. Everyone around her jumped to their feet in surprise, but Elizabeth fixed Radek with a look. "I need to speak with you and your sister."

She swept out of the box and into the corridor. The wall of men in black surrounding her should have been comforting, but her fear was eating her alive and she wished Marcus had taken someone back to the palace with him. She saw her own unease reflected in Laura and Lord George's eyes.

"Majesty," Natalya asked, clearly bewildered. "Is anything amiss?"

Elizabeth clasped her hands together. "I fear something is happening back at the palace."

"This would have to do with Captain Lorne's abrupt departure?" Radek asked.

"Yes. I fear Lady Katherine may have done something rash, and dangerous." The queen mother and the prince both started in alarm, but Elizabeth raised a hand. "I cannot discuss it here, and I offer you both my apologies, but I must insist we return to the palace immediately."

* * *

  
Kate focused on Jeannie, who looked terrified. There was no way for her to escape the clutching hold Simmons had, but Jeannie might. She tried to gesture toward the door, and Jeannie took the hint, turning to try to run.

"If you leave I will finish her," Simmons said before Jeannie had taken more than a step away.

There was a pounding on the door, making them all jump. Voices bellowed outside. Simmons shifted his hand from Kate's throat to cover her mouth tightly.

"Do not speak," Simmons growled at Jeannie. Kate tried to free herself again, but his grip was too strong. Simmons began backing away from the door, toward the bookcases.

Jeannie remained frozen in fear, watching helplessly. But before any of them could move again, the door was kicked in.

Kate didn't know who had broken down the door and didn't care. She opened her mouth, biting down hard on Simmons' hand and wrenching herself out of his grasp when he shouted in pain. He managed to catch her by the arm, but not before the ring of steel filled the room.

She looked and saw Marcus, accompanied by Aaron, Rodney, and half a dozen members of the Iolanian royal guard. One glance around the room had clearly told Marcus all he needed to know. He drew his sword on Simmons. "Release her," he ordered.

Kate couldn't breathe. Her throat ached and her arm was twisted backwards in Simmons' grasp.

"I found these women invading my private offices," Simmons said. It didn't come out as smoothly as he probably intended, given that he was out of breath. "They were rifling through my private papers, and when I discovered them, they tossed the whole box into the fireplace!"

Rodney shot an anguished look at Kate. The proof of Simmons' guilt had been found in the box.

The guardsmen hesitated, and behind them Aaron looked confused, but Marcus walked forward, eyes intent on Simmons. "Release Lady Katherine or I will run you through before you can draw another breath."

There was a dreadfully long silence. Nobody moved so much as a muscle.

Then Simmons shoved her away, apparently having taken account of his prospects and finding no option but surrender. Kate fell hard onto the desk again, coughing as her bruised throat convulsed and she struggled not to be sick.

She was vaguely aware of some of the guards forcibly removing Simmons from the room, and Aaron following them out. She felt Jeannie's hand on her back and heard her speaking to Rodney and Marcus giving instructions to the remaining guards, but she listened to none of it until Marcus said close-by, "Kate?"

She looked up and saw the fear still on his face. He reached out and touched her cheek, his eyes searching hers worriedly. Shaking, Kate flung herself into his arms. He held her fiercely and she let the tears come, heedless of their audience.

* * *

  
Elizabeth stepped out of the coach with the assistance of one of her guards. Two of them had raced into the palace before the coach had even stopped. Radek hurried to stand beside her. "Elizabeth, what is going on?" he asked of her.

"Something is wrong here, I am certain of it," she told him. "Don't ask me how I know this, Radek," she added, forestalling his next question.

A black-clad guard ran down the steps as they went up. It was not Marcus, but one of his men, looking rather shocked. "Your Majesty," he said, keeping his voice down, "they found proof. They've apprehended him."

"What?" Natalya demanded angrily. Elizabeth turned and leveled a cold look at her.

"I know my men, your Highness." She walked briskly as she followed the guard who had brought her the news. "They would not act without evidence."

There were no more questions as they swept through the stone corridors and descended into the bowels of the palace. Elizabeth's anger was mounting with each step, and by the time she reached the gates of the dungeons she felt as cold as the stone around her.

At the far end of the room, Simmons was seated against the wall, his legs in irons. An Iolanian guard stood over him. "What is going on?" Natalya demanded when they had entered. "Whose authorization do you have for this?"

"Lord Simmons was discovered in the act of assaulting Lady Katherine of Queen Elizabeth's court," the guard said, looking at his own nobles unhappily.

Laura gasped in alarm, and Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Surely not," she said to the guard.

"I fear it is so." Aaron, the Marquis of Kensmere, appeared from the shadows.

Kate was not present in the dungeon, nor was Marcus. "Is she all right?" Elizabeth asked Aaron.

"Shaken and bruised, but otherwise she is not hurt," Aaron said carefully. Behind them, Carson pushed through the retinue that had followed Elizabeth, cursing at people to move out of his path as he left the dungeon.

Aaron was eyeing Radek, who was glaring.

"Is there any other witness to these events besides the Marquis of Kensmere?" Radek asked, his voice flat.

Elizabeth knew immediately what he suspected, but before she could argue with him, Aaron replied calmly, "Lady Miller and her brother, Master McKay. Lady Miller was present through the entirety of the... incident."

Radek subsided. Elizabeth knew he would never doubt Rodney or Jeannie's words on this matter.

Elizabeth's guardsman spoke again. "Lady Katherine and Lady Miller discovered proof of Simmons' treachery. He is in league with the Goa'uld and conspired to assassinate Queen Elizabeth before she reached the throne."

Several pairs of eyes returned to Lord Aaron. "This is indeed what Lady Miller and Lady Katherine said, though I have not been granted the details of what evidence they recovered."

"There is no evidence," Simmons spat out. "This is a ridiculous charge and wholly without merit."

Elizabeth ignored his protests. Kate would not have said such a thing without proof. She stepped forward. "Look at me," she ordered. "Look on the face of the person you tried to kill."

His glare turned strangely confident. "I will be released by morning," he said to her. "There is nothing you can prove. The court will not hear the word of an idle gossip lurking in my chambers–"

Before he could speak further, Elizabeth slapped him as hard as she could.

"Your Majesty," Lord George said, almost chiding her for losing her temper like that. As a conciliatory gesture, she stepped back from the prisoner.

Lord George cleared his throat. "I would suggest clearing the room before any other subjects are discussed," he said to the queen mother.

Elizabeth glanced at Natalya. She looked dubious about these events, but the fact that any nobleman in her own court would assault an unarmed woman had shaken her enough that she nodded to her own guards.

* * *

  
Rodney watched as Jeannie coaxed Kate into drinking something. Kate winced with each swallow. There were vivid bruises forming on her throat already. The sight of them seemed to be driving Captain Lorne into a fury. He kept glancing at the door, as if torn between wanting to stay with Kate and needing to find the queen.

A moment later Carson Beckett all but barreled into the room and immediately began examining Kate. Jeannie fell back to stand beside Rodney, out of the way.

"Carson, has the queen arrived?" Marcus demanded.

"Aye, she's in the dungeons confronting the bastard now."

Marcus cast a swift look at Kate, who nodded in understanding before he strode out the door.

"Easy, love," Carson murmured, bringing a candle closer to Kate. "Let me take a look at you."

Jeannie leaned into Rodney abruptly and he put a hand on her back in alarm. "Jeannie?"

"I'm all right." Carson glanced at her but she shook her head. She took a sip of the water she was holding and drew in a shaky breath.

It could easily have been Jeannie sitting there with her throat closed over and those awful marks on her neck, Rodney realized. If he had not stumbled upon them, if he had not been there to go for help...

He slid his arm around her waist and Jeannie put her head on his shoulder. "Don't you ever do anything that stupid again, do you hear me?" he told her quietly.

She breathed out a laugh. "I think I've satisfied my thirst for adventure, Rodney."

Kate was arguing with Carson about something. "What is it?" Jeannie asked.

Kate couldn't speak at full volume. Carson was glaring. "She's insisting on going down to the dungeons for some reason."

Jeannie straightened and exchanged a mysterious look with Kate. "Yes, I agree. There is one more thing we need to do."

* * *

  
George turned his attention to the prisoner once the cell they were in had been at least partly cleared. Master Stackhouse had placed himself between Elizabeth and Simmons and most of her guard had remained, unwilling to leave their lady alone with the man who had tried to kill her. Elizabeth's intense anger had goaded the men into a rage that made him nervous. He shared their fury but they needed to get a confession and as much information from Simmons as possible, and anger would not serve them in the process.

The Iolan guards also remained, grouped around Natalya and Radek, who were conversing quietly.

Captain Lorne appeared, his eyes flicking over the queen and his own men before taking his place beside Elizabeth. "My lady."

"Captain." Elizabeth turned towards Simmons. Her face was a cold mask, the likes of which George had never seen on her before. "Will you be so kind as to relate what occurred this evening?"

Lorne launched into his explanation of racing to return to the palace, locating Kate after Rodney McKay had sounded the alarm, and bursting into Simmons' offices to find the man choking Kate to death.

"He fails to mention that Lady Katherine was in my chambers, intruding upon my personal correspondence," Simmons said in protest as soon as Lorne finished. The captain growled, but Elizabeth laid a hand on his arm.

"And what you both fail to mention is that Lady Katherine found evidence of your crimes against me," she told Simmons.

A sickening smile settled on his face. "You can prove nothing."

George glanced at Natalya. "What is certain, my lady, is that this man has just admitted to the crime of assaulting a member of the queen's court."

Simmons blinked. "I found her and Lady Miller going through my papers! I had every right to compel them to leave the room."

Lorne did take a step forward at that. "Summon Lady Katherine, Majesty. Let the marks upon her neck be testimony to how Lord Simmons attempted to compel an unarmed woman to leave!"

Elizabeth dug her fingers into Lorne's arm at that point and he retreated again. Simmons ignored the byplay and turned to his own regent. "Highness, I know that I have been no great ally of yours in these last years, but you cannot believe this story. The entire court has seen this Lady Katherine consorting with the Marquis of Kensmere for these last three weeks."

Elizabeth shifted in irritation at the insult to Kate's honor, but she held her tongue.

Simmons continued, "Is it not possible that in between whispering honeyed words in her ear, he planted some seeds of doubt about my reputation? It would hardly be unheard of from Kensmere, and Lady Katherine, being a stranger, would have no way of knowing what she was dealing with."

Natalya flicked her eyes at Aaron, as if measuring him.

Simmons pressed on. "I can understand the ire of Atalan at what nearly befell her Majesty, but I would urge the queen and her people to consider the possibility that this is no more than an elaborate ruse they have been pulled into to serve the ends of someone else."

"What of Lady Katherine?" Radek asked. His face was expressionless and George saw Elizabeth watching him with concern.

Simmons shifted, the very picture of remorse. "I will admit that I was perhaps too forceful when I discovered the ladies in my office. It was a regrettable outcome. It was not my intention to hurt Lady Katherine, but I will accept responsibility for my actions on that score. On the accusation of being a traitor, however, I will not yield. I have done nothing but serve your Highness and my country to the best of my ability."

"The more you speak, Lord Simmons, the more I believe you to be an infamous villain," Elizabeth remarked, almost condescendingly.

" _Then where is your proof?_ " Simmons burst out.

"Here," a rasping voice said behind them.

Everyone turned to see Rodney McKay coming in with a very shaken Kate on his arm. His sister and Doctor Beckett were behind them. "Kate," Laura said, hurrying to Kate's side to help support her. "Are you all right?"

Kate didn't answer, looking the prisoner instead. "I have the proof we need, your Majesty." Her voice was rough from the obvious bruising about her throat. "Proof that Lord Simmons does the bidding of the Goa'uld, and that he is guilty of more than merely attempting to kill you."

In another time and place, it would have been comical to watch Kate pull two letters from inside her corset. She walked up to Elizabeth and gave the pages to her, and then looked at Simmons. "Did you truly think I was so foolish as to leave behind that which would convict you the most easily?"

Simmons attempted to protest, but all eyes were on Elizabeth as she read. Her face turned ghostly pale but when she looked back to Simmons, her eyes blazed with renewed hatred. "Not only did you conspire to kill me," she said incredulously, "you helped the Goa'uld launch their campaign against Caldora?"

Simmons opened his mouth, but Elizabeth did not permit him to speak further. "It may be despicable to attempt to kill a ruler, sir," she said, "but it is unforgivable to sate your greed with the destruction of an innocent and defenseless people. Were you at my mercy, you would meet the executioner's axe this night."

Radek held out his hand, cutting off her tirade, and Elizabeth gave him the letters, which he and his sister began to read. Kate retreated to the support of McKay and Laura while Elizabeth folded her arms across her chest and stood with Lorne.

Lord George approached her and quietly said, "I have never seen you this angry."

"I assure you, I have never felt this angry," she told him. "I have never wanted to hurt someone so badly as I do now."

He laid his hand upon her shoulder, drawing her gaze up. "You must calm yourself, Elizabeth," he said so as not to be overheard. "We must approach this rationally. We need to know any information Simmons may possess regarding the Goa'uld's intention, and threats will not aid our cause."

A little startled by the admonishment, Elizabeth took a deep breath, trying to steady her temper.

Radek had finished perusing the letters. He shared one short look with his sister and turned to Elizabeth. "I owe you an apology, my lady. When you came to me with your suspicions, I did not wish to believe you. My arrogant confidence in my own perception blinded me to the evil that has been lurking here." He turned to glare at Simmons. In all the years George had known the young man, he had never seen a rage like this one on his face. Radek looked back at Elizabeth and continued, his words cutting the tense chill in the room, "The cost to you was too high."

"My brother is not alone in this," Natalya put in, standing next to Radek. "It was for the sake of the appearance of peace we tolerated this man to remain in Iolan. Now, not only did we nearly lose our cousin Elizabeth to his avarice, but countless innocents in a country that has never been a danger to us are paying the price. Iolan bears part of the responsibility for what Caldora is suffering, thanks to you."

The anger of one of the royals of Iolan's ancient house was formidable. United, as they now stood, it was overwhelming.

"Have you anything to say in your own defense?" Natalya asked.

Desperation arose in Simmons' eyes and it became apparent that he knew he had no escape from this. He looked from face to face before settling on Elizabeth. "You still have a traitor in your own court," he informed her.

Elizabeth glanced at Lord George and took a few cautious steps forward. "And who might that be?"

"The man I recruited to see to your death, though he failed miserably in the task," he replied. He took a deep breath. "Lord Robert Kinsey."

* * *

  
When Laura escorted Kate back to the queen's chambers, Carson followed them inside. After leaving Simmons to his fate in the dungeons, he'd lingered a moment to look at Jeannie before advising her to allow her brother to take her to rest in her chambers. Now, he and Laura helped Kate sit down on the bed and Laura handed her a glass of water to sip.

Carson glanced at his wife and said, "How are you faring?"

She nodded. "It's Kate you should be worried about."

Her husband turned his attention to Kate, who rolled her eyes. "I'm all right, at least physically," she told them. Her voice still sounded roughened by the attack.

They left her in peace for a moment to compose herself and moved into the antechamber. Laura looked up at Carson. The full weight of what had passed seemed to hit her all at once. "If Marcus hadn't discovered them when he did..."

Carson embraced her tightly. "Don't think about it, love," he said. She could feel the tension within him at the same thought. "She's safe, and so are you, and so is the queen."

Laura let herself relax in his arms for a few moments before looking up at him again. "The queen remained behind at the interrogation," she said. "Kate needs to rest, so I should stay and wait for Elizabeth to return. She will need me."

Carson nodded. "I understand." He kissed her softly. "We have a long journey ahead of us. I know the queen's disposition, but try not to let her stay up all night."

Laura stretched up and kissed his cheek. "I'll try."

When she returned to the bedchamber, Kate was already undressing for bed. Laura helped her, putting her gown away and making sure the trunks were ready for their departure in the morning. Dressed in her nightgown, Kate was getting in bed when Laura turned around. "Are you sure you're all right?" Laura asked her.

Kate gave her a quick, forced smile. "You have other things to worry about, Laura," she rasped, nodding towards the outer doors and the bedroom Laura shared with Carson.

"Kate!" Laura said reprovingly, sitting down next to her on the bed. "You're closer to me than my own sisters are. Yes, I have a husband now and duties to him, and we both have our duties to the queen, but do we not have duties to each other as well?"

A heavy silence stretched out before Kate took Laura's hand. "When Queen Margaret was choosing companions for Elizabeth, I did not want to be considered," she said in a whisper. "I told my mother I did because I knew she wanted me to. That first week in Atlantis, I cried every night."

"I know," Laura replied. She'd always pretended to be asleep, thinking Kate wouldn't want anyone to know how unhappy she was. "Our governess came in every night that week and rubbed your back till you went to sleep."

Kate looked to be on the verge of tears now, but this time it was not her mother she wanted. "I want to see Marcus," she breathed. "I've never seen him as scared as he was tonight. I've hurt him these past few weeks, but he was still so frightened for me."

"Of course he was," Laura said. She reached up and brushed Kate's hair back gently. "Kate, he loves you. No one could deny that. And even angry at you, he still loves you."

She nodded then and wiped at her face even though she'd shed no tears. "I just want him."

Laura resisted the urge to smirk and make a suggestive remark. "You'll feel better in the morning," she told her friend. "You should sleep."

Kate laid herself down, and while Laura waited for Elizabeth to return, she rubbed her friend's back until she was sleeping peacefully.

It was a long time before Elizabeth appeared, however, with Marcus on her heels. He followed her into the bedchamber, something he normally would not do. While Elizabeth set a stack of papers on a table, Marcus came up to the bed. "She's asleep?" he asked, though the answer was obvious.

"Yes," Laura said quietly. "She wanted to see you, but she needed rest."

Marcus stood there a while longer, watching Kate sleep, until Elizabeth walked up to them. "She wasn't too badly hurt, was she?" she queried in a low voice, so as not to disturb Kate.

Laura shook her head. "The good captain arrived just in time."

Elizabeth laid her hand on Marcus' arm. "I cannot thank you enough."

Despite the circumstances, his ears turned a little pink at the praise. "It was my duty," he said. It was obvious to everyone in the room that his actions were rooted in something far deeper than mere duty, though Laura had no doubt he would have done the same if either herself or Elizabeth had been in peril.

Elizabeth reminded him then of their departure in the morning. She and Laura drew away, giving him a moment of privacy even though Kate slept on. With one last look at them all, he took his leave.

As soon as the door was closed, Laura began to help Elizabeth undress. "Was anything further discovered in the interrogation?" she asked, unlacing the back of Elizabeth's gown. The night had been too full of revelations. Laura fervently hoped there were no more huge surprises in store.

"Simmons told us where to find his correspondence with Kinsey," she replied, gesturing to the papers she had brought with her. "I have not yet looked at all of them, but they are written in Kinsey's hand. I would know it anywhere. Lord George and I have already drafted orders for his arrest. Hopefully rumors will not reach Atlantis before Lord George does."

Laura nodded in fervent agreement. She, Carson, Elizabeth, Kate, and the royal guard would be traveling over land to Langford, which would allow the queen to see and be seen by her subjects along the route. But Lord George and Rodney would be returning to Atlantis on the _Queen Margaret_. With any luck, the prevailing winds would take him to the capital before Lord Daniel even set out for Langford to meet them.

Laura watched Elizabeth carefully as she finished preparing for bed. "You seem less distressed about this than I would have expected, my lady," she remarked carefully. She was unsure if Elizabeth was truly calm or simply so overwhelmed she'd gone numb.

"I have expected to find proof of this since... since Simon died," Elizabeth said. In passing Laura wondered if she had heard Elizabeth speak of Simon more than five times in the three and a half years since their brief and ill-fated marriage. "The real shock is that he had aid from Iolan, and I have had some time to prepare myself for that idea."

Elizabeth ran her hand along the back of a chair, and Laura couldn't help herself. "What about Caldora?" she asked.

Elizabeth looked up then with a sorrow and confusion in her eyes which Laura had become too familiar with, emotions which she associated with such reminders of Lord John's whereabouts. "That is an idea I cannot stomach," Elizabeth said. "It is one thing to strike out against a ruler. We do expect it. I knew very young that I was vulnerable to those who wanted power. But somehow I feel that his crime against Caldora is greater, for he struck the powerless. There is nothing but shame in that."

Laura nodded. Simmons had had no quarrel with Caldora, but had sold them to the Goa'uld anyway, and innocent people were dying because of him.

Elizabeth sat down in the chair, looking tired and suddenly young. Laura settled down in the chair opposite. "Laura, I miss John more than I ever thought I would," she said lowly. "I do not know what he would have done in this situation, but he would have tried to make me smile, even now."

It was true, Laura decided. A great deal of the trip to Iolan had been less than enjoyable for Elizabeth, and perhaps it was because they had all come to depend on John's unique ability to cope with the queen in most of her moods.

Laura searched her mind for something comforting to say, but the truth was that John of Sheppard was hundreds of miles away in the middle of a war and his return was doubtful. Elizabeth's pain and sorrow were a heavy burden for anyone to bear, and this night had torn open a number of old wounds and perhaps inflicted new ones. As Kate had done, so too Elizabeth wanted a comfort that simple friendship could not provide.

Laura did not dare ask the question, but Elizabeth's words about John also suggested that she was nowhere near able to accept Radek's proposal.

Elizabeth shook herself and reached for the stack of letters, but Laura grabbed them first. "No, my lady," she said firmly. "You will have plenty of time to peruse these while we're traveling. You must sleep tonight."

The argument that ensued was rather heated even if it was conducted in whispers, but in the end Laura won without having to bring Carson or Marcus or Lord George into it personally. That she counted as a small victory.

* * *

  
George and Radek stayed down in the interrogation chamber longer than Elizabeth did, ensuring that Simmons told them every bit of information that could be learned or coerced from him.

George did his best not to think too closely about the methods involved or threatened. He had little stomach for such things. The one mercy was that Elizabeth had been convinced to leave before such things came up. The prince looked no more sanguine about inflicting harm, even in the name of justice, but when he looked at Simmons, his eyes grew cold. George thought to himself for the first time that he would not wish to make an enemy of Radek of Iolan for any reason.

He left the dungeons at last and took the long way through the palace to the royal residence. When he approached the door of Queen Mother Natalya's library, one of the guards opened it for him and said, "She has been expecting you, my lord."

It was not surprising, and George entered and bowed to Natalya. She nodded in return and said, "Lord George, can I offer you something to drink?"

"I thank you, but no," he replied. "I cannot tarry long."

She nodded. "We will have a full confession signed by morning," she said. "By the end of the week I expect the court to have found him guilty, and he will likely be executed. However, I will be open to Atalan's request to extradite."

"I will inform the queen in the morning," George said. He rather hoped it would not come to that. He was worried Elizabeth would be paralyzed by having to choose one way or the other on that matter when she was not filled with the anger she had displayed this night. Besides, they had Kinsey to deal with at home as it was.

Natalya looked down at the ground for a moment. "I cannot begin to express my own regret at having harbored him so long, though unknowingly," she said. "Please convey to our cousin my sincerest apologies. We will share with her the entirety of our investigation, so that she may be able to deal with the situation on her own soil better than I have on mine."

"Thank you, Highness," George replied. "I fear I have a long day ahead of me, and I must take my leave."

"One thing more," Natalya said. "I hope this has not adversely affected my brother's suit for Queen Elizabeth's hand. He is deeply fond of her, and I believe he would be a good choice for Atalan as well."

George sighed softly. "Your Highness, I can only say that this will be the queen's decision, and hers alone."

* * *

  
Having lived all her life on the sea, Elizabeth was somewhat apprehensive about leaving Iolan for her cousin's home. She had been eager to see it for years, but the fact that she was about to go to a place far away from the pervasive smell of the ocean was a trifle unnerving.

In fairness, the events of the last day had hardly left her in a state to be calm about almost anything.

So on the morning of her departure, she wandered down to the river, as close as she could get to the water in this palace set back from the coast. It was before dawn, so she left Kate asleep in bed, dressed herself, and took Marcus with her. The captain had been awake and appeared at the tiniest sound from her chambers, and Elizabeth thought fresh air might do them both some good.

At the river they stood, watching distant fishing boats making their way back from open waters to sell the catch of the day. A fine mist had settled upon the land, and the morning was chilly. For once during this trip, Elizabeth let her mind wander without restraint.

The night before her coronation had been misty like this. She had come out of her banquet and found John on the beach, looking out at the sea. There she had called him lord for the first time, and there she had first felt the stirrings of something wonderful and strange. The overt concern he showed for her had been overwhelming, even when she had spent her life surrounded by men who protected her.

She had been foolish not to realize before that she was falling in love with him. He made her blush and laugh and smile with ease. In the times he'd been away from Atlantis, she had longed for his company. This time, with no knowledge beyond the fact that he was in the middle of a war, Elizabeth's heart ached for his presence, wishing beyond all reason to feel the touch of his hand once more.

Her dreams had been filled with thoughts of him, sometimes in ways that made her blush even in solitude. All through this trip, no matter how she struggled to prevent it, her mind had constantly been drawn back to the early evening, the smell of hay and horses, the finery worn for the wedding feast, and the hunger of his mouth.

Lorne drew her attention away from her musing. Elizabeth turned away from the river and saw Radek approaching with his own guards. At the sight of him, guilt began to rise in her consciousness, for she knew what was about to happen.

Radek would be the perfect husband. He was superior in every way to John.

Except that she did not want him.

Radek nodded to her when he was near, and Elizabeth observed that he had not slept much either, if at all. "Highness," she said to him.

"Majesty," he replied. "I am surprised to find you here."

Elizabeth looked back at the water. "It is the closest I can come to the sea," she told him.

He did not ask for an explanation of that. "I am glad you came," he said at length. "And I hope that, despite recent events, this trip was not wholly unpleasant for you."

She looked at him again. "Radek, I will always value your company," she replied. "I do not regret coming here."

"Elizabeth," he began, then looked over his shoulder at his own guards, who backed away to give them privacy. Lorne took only two short steps back, something no one would begrudge him given the previous night's events.

Radek took her hand, and Elizabeth could feel her chest constricting. "Elizabeth, you know I would be a good husband, and a good consort," he told her, though the words lacked some of the conviction she would have expected.

She looked away from his face. "I know," she said, barely above a whisper.

A long silence stretched between them, and Radek's grip on her hand weakened. "Is it me?" he asked, hurt in his voice. "I care for you deeply, and there was a time when I thought you could be persuaded to care for me." Elizabeth could not answer him nor even look at him, and then he grew quiet. "Is there someone else?"

Elizabeth bit her lip. "Radek, this was never going to be fair to you," she said. "You deserve no less than a wife who loves you as much as you love her, and... And yes, someone else has a claim on my heart." She pressed her lips together to keep them from trembling, but he deserved the honest truth from her. "I know that to wed him is impossible and I have known for years that I would not marry for love, but to accept you when I love John..."

She trailed off there, realizing that it was the first time she had spoken the words aloud. Behind Radek, Lorne was staring at her in surprise. But Radek himself was nothing less than crushed.

"I have never meant to hurt you," she offered him, suspecting the words would be little comfort.

He nodded in reply, though he did not look at her. He was clearly trying to compose himself before speaking. "Then I wish you well," he said quietly, "in whatever path you choose."

Radek bowed to her formally and left her alone with her thoughts once more. She was glad to be done with this, but she was not relieved. Her heart ached with grief for Radek's sake, for he had done nothing to deserve this rejection. And she did not relish the disappointment of her own nobility, including Daniel, which awaited her at home. It would be even more troubling for she would not be able to give them the full truth to explain herself, as she had done Radek.

Still keenly distressed, Elizabeth did her best to turn her thoughts to her homeland. She needed to return and deal with Daniel, not to mention Kinsey and whatever other difficulties had arisen in her absence.

Yet the journey home was not enough to distract her from the pain she had caused Radek, from her own sense of sadness, or from thoughts of what was going on beyond the southern mountains, where John and his people were at war.


End file.
